Star Fox 40,000: Realm of Chaos
by GamerJay
Summary: Star Fox x Warhammer 40,000 crossover. The corrupt aspects of humanity has come to drown Lylat in it's own blood. Who can stand against it? Team Star Fox, an heroic yet complicated superhuman and the zealous, gothic Imperium of Man.
1. Prologue: Beneath A Blood Red Sky

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Fox or Warhammer 40,000. They are property of Nintendo and Games Workshop. The character Jakob is used with permission from SF Ghost, and with his blessing. Thanks a lot, friend, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.**_

_A/N: All right, here we go…_

* * *

Prologue – Beneath A Blood Red Sky

* * *

_Their baying chills the heart and spreads icy tendrils of fear through weak mortal souls. And yet worse, yet more terrible to behold, are the huntsmen of this fell pack. Following close upon the Hounds, urging them ever forward, come deformed shapes, running and shrieking, driven by the insatiable blood-hunger of their kind. With twisted crimson bodies they stride across the blighted land, crouched over as if the better to track their prey's terror. Masters of the hunt, they seek the blood of Man to spill at the foot of their master's Skull Throne._

**- Quote, Anonymous**

"Do I ask that you understand what must be done, Pepper?"

_Dear God in his Heaven, do you have any idea what you are asking me to allow you to do? For God's sake…_

"Who is this 'God' you aliens always mention? Is he your deity? Do you worship him? Does he answer your prayers? Is he your guiding light? You small-minded furries, you should know that there is only the Emperor, and there is only his **_divine will_**."

_You evil son of bitches. You can't, you won't, get away with this!_

"Oh, but we can. It is either those two planets or the entire Lylat System. You don't want the deaths of _all_ of Lylat's citizens on your conscience, do you not?

_You're going too far this time. Billions of innocent people…_

"Will die? Yes, I know. You should try living in our part of the universe and witness for yourselves the kind of suffering we humans endure every damned day. Thousands of human lives die each day, nearly every minute, and you Lylatians have had it easy up to this point fighting your own pointless wars. Chaos plans to taint the entire universe, and will start with this system."

_Why us? What do they see in the Lylat System? What the hell do they want with it?_

"You know just as well as I do why Chaos wants this system. And if they get their foul, rusted hands on it, the universe will drown in it's own blood."

_But please…no more people have to die. You must see that._

"Innocents die so that humanity may survive, that is one of our motto. You will let us cleanse the taint from both of these planets, or it will consume the entire Lylat System. Either that or we will raze this entire sector to ashes just to not allow the taint to spread."

… 

…

…

…

"General Pepper?"

…

…

…

…

"That's one of the things I admire about you, Pepper. You always think these things carefully. It served you well in the past. Let us just hope you decide what's best for you, your people and what possible offspring they may yield for another possible generation."

_Goddamn it Inquisitor, is it just those two planets?_

"Yes. Falconia and Evergreen."

_Fuck it, Kryptmann, just get it over with._

"You've made the right choice, General Pepper."

_But please…make sure those who can't escape in time…don't let them suffer._

And with that the middle-aged Inquisitor smiled and turned off his communication system, cutting General Pepper off. Sitting at his desk he glanced over the window to his right and saw the planet that was Falconia beginning to burn as evil was beginning to consume it. He felt not remorse watching the planet die below him from the comfort of his personal Inquisitor battleship, and that was one of the many different reasons why this particular servant of the Imperium was feared throughout the universe.

Still smirking, he thought, 'In trying to save this planet to stay in good terms with that furry General, I wish you the best of luck, Calgar.'

----------

**_Location - Falconia  
_****_Time - 6:50pm LST (Lylatian Standard Time)  
_****_Cornerian Military Strength – Laughable  
_****_Chaos Taint – Extreme  
_**_**Current Directives – Salvage  
****Contingency Directives – Cleanse**_

_**Probability of Contingency Directives – 99.9**_

"BLOOD! BLOOD! BLOOD! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!"

The seventeen-year old blue falcon known as Falco Lombardi felt his heartbeat hasten and the sweat roll down the side of his head as he heard the diabolical chanting increase in volume just outside his door. He hid himself in the closet of his room where he tried his best to keep himself scarce and to not exist, hoping whomever it was that's just broken into his house wouldn't find him to do God knows what to him. He clutched a heavy blaster in his hand, trying his best just to not pass out from the panic.

'What's going on?' he thought, 'What do these people want?'

He didn't mean to run, hide and cower like this. It was only because he saw that large mob of fellow avians marching towards his house carrying torches, pitchforks and chainsaws and were chanting rather Satanic verses. And now they had broken into the house and were turning the place inside out, trying to find whomever dwelled here.

Which was him.

"Hey! Let's check for scum in here!"

Falco's eyes widened upon hearing that familiar voice, before he saw the door into his room burst open, where he closed the closet door completely. A group of four other avians stepped in, where one flipped the light switch and the room illuminated. Falco shook silently in the closet, where he gripped the blaster even more tightly in his hands.

The four avians looked like something pulled from the depths of Hell itself. Their faces, clothing and much of their feathers were clotted in thick blood, some of which dripped onto the floor. What appeared to be small skull racks were tied to their backs, which displayed freshly decapitated heads, and the eight-pointed sign of Chaos were drawn on their heads. They looked around the room, clutching their stained blades.

"Didn't Lombardi mention his son would stayin' put tonight?" one of the avians growled, "Jus' so he didn't have to go to his sister's play?"

Falco recognised the voice of this guy. It was Betters, a green-coloured eagle and a friend of the family. He then recognised another voice, which was his best friend at school, Kai.

"He did," Kai the crow said, "Least that was what he mentioned before he got busy cutting hearts out!"

Horror crossed Falco's face as he heard that. He felt tears well in his eyes before he blinked them away, suddenly feeling anger rise within him as he narrowed his eyes, gripping the blaster more tightly now. Better turned to the other two avians, where he frowned and wiped the blood from his eyes, where to Falco's disgust then licked them, savouring the taste.

"The little bastard's in here somewhere!" he spat, "Find him!"

One of the avian's nodded and walked towards the closet, where he stretched a hand forward to turn the knob. Suddenly Falco kicked the door open and knocked the avian down. The other intruders turned towards Falco.

"FALCO!" Kai exclaimed.

Falco aimed his blaster at them, seeing them advance slowly on them. He finger inched near the trigger as he stepped away from the closet, where the avian he knocked down got up and drew his blade. He then charged at Falco, who aimed down at his legs and fired, blowing his left leg off. The avian screamed in pain as blood begun to pour out onto the floor.

"Don't come any closer!" Falco cried, aiming his blaster at the remaining three avians, "Where's my family? WHAT HAVE YOU DOWN WITH THEM"

Betters smiled, "They're being prepared to serve Khorne for all eternity. As should you."

"What?" Falco cried, "What the hell are you talking about? What's going on?"

Kai then charged forward and cried out…

"CHAOS! GIVE ME STRENGTH!"

…where he tackled Falco onto the ground, scattering his blaster onto the floor. Falco was quick to punch his insane best friend off, before he reached for the blaster where he then felt a sharp pain shot up from his leg. He cried out in pain and turned his head to see Betters standing on his leg, where he then increased the pressure.

"Come on, son," Betters said, smiling evilly, "Time to submit yourself to the Great Powers."

Falco glared, before grabbing the blaster and aiming at his head, where Betters eyes widened before having a blaster bolt tear through his skull. Falco then got and fired at the other two Cultists and fired as they charged at him, one through the gut and the other through the chest.

He then looked down at Kai, whose eyes were that of fear as Falco aimed his blaster down at him. He glared.

"What the fuck is going on?" Falco demanded, "Why are you doing this?"

Kai shook his head, "I…I…I don't know. Something's whispering into my head! Please…make it stop!"

Falco's eyes widened, where he tried desperately to believe that this wasn't Kai's doing, rather it was something else. Kai then glared and swept-kicked him off his feet, where the then grabbed his blaster and whipped him across the head, knocking him out and sending him to that place where there was no pain or thought, where he would appear to float there in the darkness.

And somehow could still hear what was going on outside his mind.

----------

Planet Falconia, the sixth planet of the Lylat System, more or less teetered on the brink of Hell. It's populace was engaged in a massive orgy of violence, ritualistic murder, mutilation and burning. The planet's surface was ravaged and its population centre's were smashed and burning. It's populace, not counting those who were causing all this destruction, fled for their lives towards the nearest star port in their respective cities.

Unknowing to the population, the Holy Fleet of the Imperium of Man held orbit above the planet, ready to step in and hopefully quell the Chaos insurgency. The Ultramarine Battle-Barge, the headquarters of any Space Marine chapter, prepped itself to deploy it's living, superhuman cargo against the worst-tainted area on the planet, which was the capital city.

The massive doors that led into the launch bay of the Battle-Barge slowly opened, revealing one hundred Space Marine, each one flying the their respective colour of blue and their symbol the Omega insignia, with the Imperial Eagle crest on their chestplates. Armed to the teeth with bolters, flamethrowers, plasma guns and rocket launchers, they stepped through the doors and slowly walked into the bay.

Leading them was the Ultrmarines Chapter-Master, Marneus Calgar – the Lord Macragge, and his Command Squad, each of them brandishing their deadly close-combat force weapons. He frowned as he and his men stepped onto the metal floor that was the launch bay and proceeded towards the Drop Pods which was each waiting to take him and his Brothers down to the surface.

'Once again, we sacrifice for the aliens sake,' he thought bitterly, 'Not for the Emperor.'

----------

Falco felt himself being dragged by his legs down the street from his place as he regained consciousness, where he saw mobs of blood-covered Chaos-marked avians tear past him, burning houses, smashing the windows of shops and raiding supermarkets. Smoke filled the once beautiful, cloudless blue sky, which was now a bloody evil red; fitting for this planet which was now joined with what laid on the other side of this plane, which was nothing but endless pain, suffering and death.

Falco saw a group of blade-wielding avians burning a Cornerian badger soldier alive, him being tied to a stake and screaming as the flames licked up at him and slowly consumed his body. His legs turned to ash while all the while the group of avians which were tormenting him chanted evilly, holding their rusty swords and knive above their heads.

"BURN SCUM, BURN!" they cried out, "ALL FOR THE DARK GODS!"

Falco then saw a gang chase after a family of eagles, where in a panic they dove into the nearest hovercar they could find. But before the father eagle could start it, the gang surrounded the car and begun to smash it with their hammers. He watched as they were dragged out of the car, kicking and screaming and begging for mercy, before being surrounded and butchered by the gang's knives.

He closed his eyes, trying not to watch the violence but he could still hear it. That and that chanting began to increase and sound more disturbing as he was dragged to the centre of town. He was then kicked in the ribs where he forced himself to open his eyes, and he saw something so disturbing it seemed too horrible to be real.

It was his own father on the steps of the town hall, and was adorned in some kind of ritualistic ceremonial garments, complete with skull helmet, a free-flowing cape and he held a metal staff that had a glowing in embedded into it, in his hands. Before the town hall was a massive crowd, where each of them pumped their fists into the air as Lombardi chanted.

"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!" he yelled, "SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!"

A mighty cheer rang about the warped crowd, where they all turned to see Falco thrown before them, where he was then dragged up onto his feet. Feeling a broken rib swim around in his torso, he slowly turned to face his father.

"D…dad?" he moaned.

Father Lombardi smiled, "Aw, son how good of you to join us on this momentous occasion. I wish I could have told you sooner of the celebrations but…"

He rolled his eyes around, still smiling.

"Things just…happen so fast."

Falco clutched his side and fell to his knees, where he saw his father walk down the steps towards him, where he appeared to not notice how badly beaten his own son appeared to be. He stretched a hand forward and caressed the top of Falco's head, where he shivered at the touch as if sensing the taint within him.

The taint of Chaos.

"Where's mum and…Becky?" Falco choked out.

Father Lombardi smiled, "As of right now their souls will forever serve the Destroyer."

Falco begun to shook with grief, where he cried, "They're dead?!"

Lombardi nodded, still smiling, "But I wouldn't say their lives are completely extinguished."

"YOU KILLED THEM!" Falco screamed, both in grief and in anger, "WHY?"

With that he was clubbed back down onto the ground by an avian with a hammer. He was then kicked to the side where laid on his back, looking up at the group of warped cultists, who stared back down at him, narrowed eyes and sadistic smiles gracing their faces.

"Bring him to the altar!" Lombardi ordered, "It's time!"

Falco felt himself carried by his arms and legs up the stairs in front of the door into the town hall, where he was placed upon what appeared to be an altar, right before the sickly image of the Chaos God of War: Khorne.

He was shackled to it, where Falco cried out in pain as he felt the spikes attached to them prick into his wrists and feet. Lombardi walked up the stairs and towards the altar, where he bared a gold-encrusted knife, amidst the cheers of the crowds down below as they pumped their bloody fists into the air, all the while chanting.

"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!"

Falco looked up at this father in sadness as he stood above him, where he held the dagger high above his head, a smug look on his face. He turned to the image of the Chaos Gods behind him, where he then looked up at the sky.

"ACCEPT THIS SACRIFICE, NOBLE GODS OF CHAOS!" he cried out, "MAY THE TAINT CONSUME US ALL!"

Falco screamed as he saw the knife come down upon his chest, where he then closed his eyes tightly. He only felt the knife skim his chest when suddenly a bright beam of light descended upon the crowd outside the town hall, where hundreds of Cultists were vaporised in a heartbeat, while hundreds where screamed as they felt themselves melt. Lombardi dropped the knife…

"WHAT?"

…which cluttered to the ground. Suddenly the Cultists to the side of him felt high-calibre sniper rounds tear through their chests and create a wall of blood behind them, where they fell down and died in an instant. Falco struggled against his binds, but stopped when he felt the spikes in them move deeper into him, where he felt his wrists being slowly slit.

Lombardi growled, "The Imperials are here!"

Falco turned his head to the left, where he could see what appeared to be drop pods descending from the air and landing in the distance, one of which then landed right before the town hall. He turned back to his father, who slowly bent over and recovered the knife. Falco saw him raise it once again.

Lombardi narrowed his eyes as he prepared to kill Falco once again…

"ACCEPT MY SON, GREAT ONES…ARGHHHHH!"

…before feeling several storm bolter rounds tear through his chest and out the other end, where he was promptly blown to pieces, right before Falco's watering eyes. The knife, which the would-be Chaos Cult Leader had held, as if in slow motion, fell to the ground.

"F…Father!" Falco exclaimed, then said softly, "No…"

Only the bottom half of his torso was still standing, where it promptly fell to it's knees and collapsed completely on the ground. Falco turned the other way to see a squad of ten ultramarine-blue coloured power-armoured human soldiers approaching, one of whom was completely massive and his storm bolters were smoking.

Falco's eyes widened, 'Space Marines?'

The Marine made their way up the steps, where the Marine spread out amongst the front of the town hall…

"Town hall secured, Lord Calgar!"

…where the large Marine, known immediately as Lord Calgar, stepped up to the altar and looked down at the stricken avian, where he looked fearfully back. Calgar noticed the blood dripping from his wrists, where he used his large hands to pull his chains apart, where Falco cried out in fright and passed out once again.

Meanwhile the entire city was in conflict as hordes of avian Cultists clashed with the Space Marines and the Cornerian Defence Force, them in their thousands while the Imperials and the CDF only numbered hundreds. The city begun to burn even more as Imperial heavy artillery rained down on the city and masses of avian Cultists continued to burn everything in their path either with lit torches or makeshift flame-throwers, where those not of Chaos ran for their lives, escorted by Cornerian Defence Force soldiers.

A pair of Motorcycle riding Marines tore through the streets of the city, their boltpistols and bike-equipped frontal bolters blazing away at the Cultists. Much to their chagrin they were covering the fleeing alien avians as they ran for their lives, carrying their children and provisions with them, as well as screaming in panic as they fled.

"Why in the name of the Emperor are we protecting xenos?" of the bikers asked.

_A sign of good will,_ the other line replied, _Just so Pepper doesn't try to stop us as we leave this miserable system._

"What if we can't seal of the portal?"

Then we shall resort to 'Plan B.'

A hover-truck transport carrying refugees tore their way past the bikers and headed downward main street, where it's six onboard Cornerian soldier fired wildly at the rapidly pursuing Cultists in their cars, laser rifles and gatling guns blazing from both sides. One bulldog soldier gritted his teeth as he fired off his laser rounds, before he turned to the driver.

"GET THIS CRATE MOVIN'!" he exclaimed, scaring the refugees on board, "I CAN WALK FASTER THEN THIS PIECE OF CRAP!"

The bulldog then received a blaster bolt to his chest where he grunted in pain and fell backwards near the refugees, scaring them even more. Another soldier, a ferret, saw this and where he felt anger well up within himself, from seeing his best friend down.

"YOU BASTARDS!" the ferret yelled, "FUCKING FREAKS!"

He aimed at the driver of the nearest pursuing car and shot him through the windshield, where it and it's occupants swerved off the road and into the nearest group of blood-crazed Cultists, where it then exploded and scattered pieces of the corpses everywhere. The driver of the truck, a panicked hippopotamus, wiped the sweat from his forehead with his left hand as he tried to keep the vehicle/refugee transport on the road, where his windshield was cracked from receiving so many rocks and blaster bolts.

Suddenly…

"HEADS UP!" he cried.

A truck driven by a maddened Cultist stopped in front of them, where the transport ploughed into it, sending several refugees and Cornerian soldiers flying and screaming. It was then followed by a massive explosion where it blew the trucks apart, and which it could have been heard by everyone in the whole city were it not for the other explosions and the sounds of gunfire – both of laser blaster rifles and boltguns.

Not two far away down main street, two Dreadnought walkers tore through the crowds, their bolters chewing up any avian that got in their way, where a squad of six Marine followed close behind, firing their bolters.

"DIE CHAOTC XENOS!" the sergeant accompanying them cried, "HOW COULD YOU LET CHAOS TAINT YOUR WORLD?"

With that he swung his chainsword and beheaded the nearest avian, where another four ganged up on him, where he aimed his boltpistol and put lead between each other their eyes. He then shoulder-charged another Cultists, before swinging his chainsword at his feet and sweeping him off, before slashing downwards to his chest.

_Sergeant Miller, do you copy?_

Miller then tapped are earpiece.

"I copy, Lord Calgar," Miller responded.

_Status?  
_

"We can't hold this position much longer!" Miller exclaimed, "Half the populations' being tainted."

_Just as I feared_, Calgar said on the other end, _We are nearing the source of the invasion. If we can't shut if down from there, we will have to resort to 'Plan B.'_

Miller's eyes widened, "Plane B, my lord? But we will…"

Miller stopped speaking in order to duck a sword swing from an eagle Cultist, before he delivered an uppercut swipe from his chainsword, slashing his chest upwards, before he finished him off by blowing his chest apart with his bolt pistol. Another Cultist charged from behind him, but was then tackled by another Marine, who then grabbed his head and crushed it with his bare hands.

Miller tapped his radio, "As I was saying, my lord: We will have to get off the planet by then!"

_That is affirmative, sergeant_, Macragge said, _Withdraw to your designated extraction point immediately. Do you understand?_

"Yes, my lord!" Miller exclaimed, narrowing his eyes in determination, _Over and out._

With that he cried out amidst the explosion of a grenade, chainsword hoisted into the air, "FALL BACK, BROTHERS! TACTICAL RETREAT!"

The squad of six complied where they begun to turn and run the other way, the two Dreadnoughts following slowly behind, keeping the thousands of pursuing Cultists at bay. The Dreadnought fired their vulcan cannons, chewing up as many Cultists as possible. But then suddenly…

"CHHHHHHAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSS!"

…a Cultist with a bomb-strapped to his chest jumped down from a nearby building and landed on top of one of the Dreadnoughts, where he laughed maniacally into the air and detonated himself, the resulting explosion tearing the Dreadnought walker apart, scattering pieces of metal everywhere, one of which was sent though the back of one Marine.

"ARGHHHHHHH!"

He fell forward on his face, where he drew his last breath as he felt the metal through his chest and punctured both his lungs. Miller looked away sadly as he continued to run, many dire thoughts running through his mind.

'A good servant of the Emperor gone to waste,' he thought, 'Along with his gene-seed.'

The other Dreadnought opened up with his flame-thrower, torching even more Cultists before it swung his mechanical arm and sending dozens flying into the air, smacking into the buildings and into other Cultist groups.

'So many Chaos-tainted xenos,' the soul within the Dreadnought thought, 'How could they be so foolish in opening the daemon gate?'

----------

"Hey, I think the kid's coming to!"

Falco opened his eyes slowly, where he felt himself to be moving and that his head was touching cold steel. His ribs hurt and he could what appeared to be bandages tape around it and also his cut wrists, where he groaned in pain. Two Cornerian soldiers, a cat and a black fox, looked down at him, where the cat removed a damp cloth from his forehead and smiled.

"Don't worry, kid," he said reassuringly, "We'll get you outta here!"

Falco struggled to make his mouth work, "My…my family?"

The cat looked over at the fox, who shrugged and shook his head sadly. The cat looked back down at Falco with sympathetic eyes.

"We haven't seen them around," the cat replied, "But you can help us find them."

The truck then passed through a steel gate and into the courtyard outside the spaceport. A metallic wall surrounded the massive starport itself, where Cornerian soldiers stood on guard, heavy weapons ready. Falco felt himself being gently raised to his feet, where he stepped off the truck along with the other soldiers and refugees.

"Oh my God," Falco said softly.

Thousands of dead avian bodies were stretched out all over the courtyard, as if ready for identification. Falco saw several distraught family members of the dead crying over their husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and other family members' bodies. Falco felt like he was going to throw up, but he kept it down.

"Aw, jeez…" the fox soldier said softly, seeing Falco's reaction.

Falco fell to his knees, where he could not help but sob quietly, hands covering his eyes but the tears running through his fingers, and dripping slowly downwards towards the asphalt. He forced himself to look upon the bodies again as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"C'mon, kid!" the fox soldier exclaimed, "Last ship off Falconia's leaving now. And we better be on it!"

Falco nodded and got back up on his feet, where suddenly screaming could be from outside the gate, where it opened slowly again to reveal another truck full of refugees…this time being chased by daemons and Cultists. Tzeentch Horrors were the daemons to be precise; those hideous mounds of pink flesh with large rubbery mouths.

"God Almighty!" the cat cried.

The daemons scraped away at the truck, where they then frolicked through the gate. Immediately the soldiers within the compound opened fired open them, where they squealed as they opened their near-rubbery mouths and fired balls of Chaotic fire back at them, a few of the Cornerians screamed as they burnt to a crisp.

One Horror lunged at Falco, where he cried out and dove out the way along with the Cornerian soldiers near him, where immediately the Horror lost interest in him and went after the avian refugees, who all fled into the starport buildings in terror. The two soldiers fired at the daemon, which squealed as it fell to the ground and appear to disappear into the ground in crimson fire.

Falco picked himself up again, and turned to the soldiers.

"NOW WHAT?!" he demanded.

"RUN!" the cat cried, "INTO THE STAR PORT!"

Before he knew what was happening, he was being rushed by the two soldiers where he saw more daemons of different shapes, size and breeds tearing over the wall and towards the star port. Falco bent over and quickly picked up a blaster, where he aimed at the nearest daemon and fired, along with the soldiers who fired their laser rifles as they ran.

"CLOSE THE BLAST DOORS!" the cat cried in his earpiece radio, "NOW!"

They dove through the large doorway into the star port's main building, where it's large titanium doors slowly closed, leaving the daemons and the Cornerian soldiers unfortunate to be left outside to fight, where the Cornerians were all quickly cut down by the Cultist and daemonic hordes. One Cornerian soldier felt the axe of a Cultist split his chest open, while another was devoured in one bite by a large-mouthed Horror.

In the star port, the people begun to board the several large Cornerian transport ships, where they all pushed desperately to get inside. Falco sighed and stepped into the line of the nearest craft, where he dropped the blaster he had just picked up, leaving it to lie there until the inevitable was to occur to this once peaceful world.

----------

Meanwhile Calgar and his Command Squad fought their way towards the outskirts of the city, crushing any Cultist that dared stand in front of their bolters, chainswords and power swords. They smashed through the walls of a tenement block into a lobby area, where they were confronted by a pack of incredibly feral Cultists.

"False Emperor's minions!" a female Cultist hissed, "CRUSH THEM!"

The Cultists drew their blades and rushed towards the Marine, where Calgar simply loaded up his storms bolters and fired, blowing the Cultists completely away and leaving only a piles of screaming gibs lying there. More Cultists, however, rushed from all sides where the Marines were quick to draw their swords and engage them.

A sergeant engaged three Cultists at once, where he swung his power sword and sent them flying due to the power emitted from the blade. He then drove his blade through the chest of another Cultist, before blowing his head apart with his plasma pistol. The Marines then continued forward, where they smashed through the flimsy wall on the other side of the building.

"The source of the invasion must be nearby," a Marine cried out, then pointed, "LOOK, MY LORD!"

Calgar saw several Horrors emerging from what appeared to be a basement near a condemned building. The Chapter-Master nodded and pumped his fists into the air, where he called out in his best authoritarian voice.

"BROTHERS, WE MUST SHUT DOWN THE PORTAL ON THIS PLANE OF EXISTENCE!"

The Marines all let out a battle cry before drawing their guns and firing at the incoming horde of daemons, where Cultists were already joining the battle, also emerging from the basement. The Marines slowly walked forward, guns blazing and cutting down their enemy. Calgar, impatient, charged forwards and swung his mighty fists, sending several Cultists and daemons flying.

The Marines then moved down the basement, where their eyes widened as they saw that it led down a massive flight of torch-lit stairs towards the large doorway, and several Daemons and Cultists were emerging from what laid beyond the door. Calgar fired his storm-bolter at a Horror, blowing it's legs off before he stomped on it's head with his massive armoured foot, his eyes narrowed in fury. The Marine next to him swung his power sword and decapitated a Cultist.

"We **_must_** be nearing the source!" a Marine exclaimed, "The daemons are pouring through in their dozens!"

Calgar nodded, where he charged forward and tackled several Cultists, where they all tumbled down the steps, before they all screamed in pain as they felt bolter rounds tear through them. They all then advanced through the large doors, encountering more resistance as they entered a massive chamber where they saw it.

"By the Emperor! The daemon gate!" Calgar cried, "It's in it's final stages!"

The gate itself, where before it littered what appeared to have been a Cornerian archaeological team whose bodies appeared to have been a few weeks old and decomposing, was still spewing forth more daemonic entities from the warp itself. Calgar bit his lip, before mowing down as many of the daemons as possible, them falling left and right, before his bolter magazine emptied.

"Damnation! We're too late!" a Marine cried out as he fired off his plasma rifle, "We must…AWKKK!"

He was then dashed to the ground by a Horror, where it in turn was then set alight by a flame-thrower wielding Marine. Suddenly a massive roared echoed from the gate, and what laid on the other side. Calgar pounded his fists and tapped his radio.

"This is Lord Macragge to the fleet," he cried, "Falconia is unable to be salvaged. Repeat: Falconia is now beyond saving. Permission for fleet to carry out Exterminatus?"

_Your permission is granted, _the other line replied, _Falconia and the avians can feel the Emperor's wrath for their ignorance. You have ten minutes to be off world._

"More than enough time!" Calgar exclaimed, before punching a Cultist across the face, then pummelling him into the ground, "Out!"

He then switched his off com, before swatting another Horror out of the way with his massive power-fisted hands. He pumped his left fist into the air.

"IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR, WE MUST WITHDRAW!"

The Marines all nodded and they walked backwards towards the doorway, weapons blazing. Just as Calgar was the last to exit did a massive red-coloured hand emerge out of the body and grip the stone floor. Calgar aimed his bolters upward at the ceiling and fired, bringing down rock upon the portal and the chamber, crushing any unlucky daemon and covering the portal.

'That should give us all enough time,' he thought, determined.

The Marine made their way back up the large staircase, passing by the bodies of both friend and foe, of Space Marine, Cornerian soldier and avian Cultist. Calgar felt both his twin hearts pounding furiously against his chest as he continued to run, pushing his muscles to their limits.

Soon the Space Marines reached the surface, where immediately they saw a Thunderhawk transport touch down in front of the cave. Calgar wiped the sweat off his brow as he and his men stepped on board, where it immediately took off and blasted into the blood-red/crimson sky.

On board, Calgar twiddled his fingers as he tried his best to keep the rage within him. Rage over these ignorant xenos and how they doomed their whole world. He knew that this entire 'containment' mission was a failure, that there was no need to destroy a planet belonging to such a weak galaxy, but now there that last option left.

'May whatever Gods these 'furries' worship have mercy on them,' he thought.

----------

Falco tried his best to get comfortable as he sat in the rather overcrowded transport ship; the sounds of people's crying, depression and mourns of loss making his heart feel incredibly heavy. All the while he tried to piece together what was happening, as everything appeared to have only occurred a few minutes ago, where he was just looking after the family house and not wanting to go to his sister's school play.

He did realise that strange things were going on in the city, and possibly the entire planet, after he heard about the disappearance of a Cornerian archaeological team that checked out a supposed network of catacombs beneath the condemned 'Wilkins' building. Afterwards, everybody starting going out late at night, to utter to themselves and five cases involved people cutting strange symbols on their arms.

That he saw on the Evening News on the TV set.

_Alright everybody, this is your captain speaking, _the announcement system said, where the captain himself sounding dispossessed,_ We're about to take off, so hold tight, pray, and if the situation is at a disadvantage, repent sins. Opening roof…_

The roof of the starport opened slowly and mechanically to reveal the deathly sky, where already Space Marine Thunderhawk transports were disappearing into the sky and getting to safety. The dozen large transports ships all fired up their engines and took off separately, causing massive damage to the empty hangars.

Brace yourselves.

Falco gripped the railing as the transport he was on shifted violently as it exploded from the hangar and into the air, where already the refugees cried out in panic, while others closed their eyes in silent prayer and held their children tightly to themselves. The ship begun to vibrate as it hit the atmosphere, where thunder sounded off around them. Falco closed his eyes tightly and did not open them again until…

Oh my…

Falco looked out the window and saw the blackness of space, where he also saw what appeared to be the entire human Imperial Navy holding orbit above Falconia, which was previously a beautiful planet, now rapidly being taken over the Chaotic clouds which slowly engulfed it.

"What's happening down there?" a refugee asked, distressed, "Our homes!"

"Where are we gonna go?" another asked.

Suddenly…

"NO!" Falco practically screamed, "PLEASE GOD, NO!"

The Imperial Navy begun to charge up their massively powerful lance cannons, where they all fired downwards at the planet's surface, instantly blowing chunks out of it, exposing the planet's rapidly destabilising core. Falco's eyes widened in horror as he saw his planet slowly die before him. The Lance cannons then charged up again and fired, striking the core.

The Imperial Navy then begun to pull away from the planet, as well as the transport ships. They were half-a-light year away when the planet finally exploded in a magnificent fireball, the resulting shockwave shaking all the ships violently. Falco lost his footing as he tried to stand up and instantly fell back down, smacking his head on the metal floor…where he passed out once again. The sounds of distress coming from the avian refugees as they saw their planet explode was the last thing he heard.

**--- 11 YEARS LATER ---**

"So that's how it happened?" Fox asked as he and Falco watched the chunks of rock previously known as Falconia drift by the observation deck of the Great Fox.

Falco, who was dressed in his best grey suit, nodded and replied, "Yeah. Every god damn second of it."

"Whatever happened to Kai?"

Falco exhaled painfully and shuddered, "Last I heard, he was sliced up the middle by a Scout Marine and his feathers used to decorate his armour."

The avian's eyes were closed and his head bowed in sadness and he faced the window, revealing what was left of his home planet, which it's pieces floated sadly around in the dark void that was space. The fact that another world, **_Evergreen_**, suffered the same fate a day later did not help one bit, it only made Falco even more bitter. Fox, Krystal and a pink furred cat dressed in a maroon flight suit looked over at the avian sadly, where the cat put a paw on Falco's shoulder and squeezed gently and comfortably.

Falco opened his eyes slightly and took her hand in his, smiling softly, "Katt."

"I'm really sorry," Katt Monroe replied with heavy sympathy, "But you didn't think you going to go attend your own memorial by yourself, right?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

He then raised his head and turned around, where he walked slowly towards the door, which opened for him and he disappeared behind them. Fox and Katt watched him leave, where the both of them were still feeling sad for him, where Fox rubbed his left shoulder uncomfortably and lowered his head, looking down at the floor, where Krystal still looked out into space.

"So this is Falco every August 5th?" Katt queried, eyebrows narrowed sadly.

"Yes, he's a husk on this day and every day of his home's destruction," Krystal replied, "And somehow we always feel his angst."

Katt looked at him curiously, eyes narrowed, "You do?"

Fox chuckled softly and looked back up at Katt, "We're the only family he's got. It's our obligation."

He then gazed out into space, where he noticed the hundreds of other starships scattered around the same sector, each one filled the surviving populace of the planet and each one paying their respects to their homeworld. Fox felt terrible for each and every one of those avians, and how they must have lost someone or everyone dearest to them, as well as their homes.

"I think I know what is really sad about all this?" Fox spoke.

"What?" Krystal asked, stepping up to stand alongside him and follow his gaze out into space.

Fox sighed, "We've gotten used to this. Somehow…ah…."

He rubbed his head fur as he thought about what would be the appropriate words to describe his thoughts.

"…our senses are numb towards the suffering of others. And I think I know why."

Krystal hugged Fox around the chest and rested her head on his should, where she nodded and said, "I know what you mean."

Watching the both of them, Katt contemplated whether she should check up on Falco, and see if the weight of his repressed guilt and sadness had not overwhelmed him. She stepped towards the door, but before she could step out of the observation deck, she froze and quickly changed her mind, knowing that he would mind him and the others if they took a glimpse of his pain.

----------

Falco sat on the floor against his door as he sobbed into his hands, finally allowing himself to release his bottled up inner emotions and pain. The tears appeared to leak through between his fingers and land on the floor as he couldn't stop thinking about the events of that day, and how the human race took everything from him. He ran his arm across his eyes and wiped the remainder of his tears away as he finally took control of himself.

He then thought, 'Damn it, I wish Jacques were here. He'd have something spiritually enlightening to say. Though he's one of those…bastards!'

He then thought about his former team mate, **_The Only Good Human_**, and how he had left the Star Fox team a year ago…


	2. Chapter 1: Aftermath

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_Edits made: _Setting of Jacques' trial.  
Proper reasons for his trial.  
The use of the term 'Kemonos.'

* * *

Chapter 1 – Aftermath

* * *

_One thing worse than ten thousand Venomian troops standing ready to invade Corneria, it is about a hundred human Space Marines. Barbaric and fanatical to their so-called 'God-Emperor', they go out of there way to make sure that when they land on a planet, they make sure there is nothing left but a pile of floating rocks that at one time used to be called a world. And sometimes they even make sure that there is nothing left at all. As long as these armour-clad, invincible madmen of the theocratic Gothic Imperium of Man exists, there will never be peace amongst the stars._  
_**- Anonymous Kemono Quote**_

If there was the one thing that the people of the _**Lylat System**_, a collection of a few dozen alien worlds and species of anthropomorphic beings; scientifically labelled as _**Kemonos**_ but commonly known as '_**furries'. **_Dreaded more than anything else in the universe it would the humans of the oppressive _**Imperium of Man**_. For thousands and thousands of years it as stood as the largest ruling empire in the whole known universe. Controlling over a million worlds, each one the homes of millions to billions of people, it is a force to be reckoned with. It's Gothic-theocratic/fascist ruling government and even the term 'human' is not taken lightly in non-Imperial/human territories, where it's own species and populace looked at the human race with suspicion and hatred. This was the case of Lylat, whom for thousands of years it's own ruling government and the Imperium has shared a shaky _**truce**_, which could shatter at any moment.

It is not surprising, as no other species' military can match the might of the_** Imperial Guard**_. Drawn from the million controlled worlds, it consists of ordinary men marching shoulder-to-shoulder, lasgun in hand as they fight to keep safe the Imperium and it's people. While the monolithic _**Space Marines**_ were feared by Lylat for their superhuman strength, the Imperial Guard was feared for it's numbers, which it would practically swarm over the battlefield like a flood, and wash away anything that got in it's way. It was feared that one day the Imperial Guard would attempt to move in on Lylat, wipe out every 'furry' that opposes them and take it over, ending the mostly tranquil existence that was Lylat.

What was considered to be the centre of any human's universe and a mystery to Lylat's top scientific minds was the Imperial homeworld of **Terra**. A massive city world and the birthplace of humanity, it has stood as the epitome of humanity's accomplishments, knowledge and existence for millions of years. The first of the million Imperial controlled worlds, Holy Terra was near if not completely impregnable to direct attack. With the multitudes of orbital defence, battleships and minefields standing ready in case anything that was inhuman dared set it's foot or craft within the boundaries of the _**Segmentum Solar, **_the cradle of human civilisation. Even Terra's own moon had been converted into a powerful gun battery, which was instrumental towards the defence ten thousand years ago during it's most horrible conflict.

For those who lived on this fortress planet, in the most secured system of planets in the entire universe, they considered themselves to be the safest people there is, knowing that the _**Emperor of Mankind**_ himself resided on this world. In the colossal _**Golden Throne**_, where even in his state of living death he watches over his loyal subjects, scattered through out the universe, and where else his psychic beacon may stretch over. The Emperor has been the cause of most scepticism in Lylat, with questions such as the fact that does he even exist? Is he really a God? Or is it just a ruse to keep the humans in line so it's own government can oppress them?

Whichever the case, one of Imperium's former citizens was beginning to doubt his own government, even more so, as he sat in his cell in the largest prison there was on all of Terra. _**He**_ knew his time would soon end, and all because he had tried to live up to both his own ideals and that of the Emperor. The Imperial _**Inquisition**_, which was charged with keeping the faith amongst the Emperor's subjects, thought of him as a massive threat to the state, and he in kind suffered by their hands nearly a lifetime ago, which he had never forgave them for nearly taking his life away.

----------

"_What about your…vow to me?"_

"_You have shown me that you can protect yourself far more than I ever could. And you have Fox to defend you if you are unable to. You must understand this."_

"_I do…but I'm going to miss you."_

"_I will miss you as well, Krystal. I will never forget you."_

"_I love you, brother."_

"_Sister."_

The subterranean and maximum-security wing of the prison was a depressing place. It's walls was lined with nearly thousands of cells and the only light came from the perpetual torch lights. Inquisitorial Stormtroopers, specially trained purebred human Guards under the control of the Inquisition, patrolled the numerous corridors carrying their hellguns uncomfortably as they listened to the silence of the prisoners. Many of them were exhausted after their daily flogging, and where they wasting away at having spent nearly most of their existence down below, having dared speak against the Inquisition and, according to the Inquisitor Lords, the Holy Emperor of Mankind himself.

One of these prisoners, in his own cell at the very back of the prison, kept his massive muscled frame in shape with continued push-ups, knowing he wouldn't be getting any fresh air any time soon. His Power Armour has been confiscated, leaving him only in his blue-ultramarine coloured slacks. His whole body still ached slightly after his massive flogging just hours before, where he did give his tormentors the pleasure of hearing him scream, even just grunting in pain.

Nevertheless he pitied them. He thought, 'They just do not understand.'

All the while his faith in the Emperor was still strong, where he believed he owed him his life after his massive loss nearly a lifetime ago. He sat down on his bunk when he heard footsteps approaching his cell; he exhaled softly, knowing his time had now come. He regretted nothing of what he had done and was determined to die standing up for what he believed in. Like how humanity should survive in this cruel universe.

He heard the locks of his large cell door retract, where he stood up to face whomever it was that will accompany him on his final work. The metal doors slowly opened to reveal two Inquisitorial Stormtroopers and an Inquisition Lord. Jacques frowned slightly, seeing who it was through the darkness, where the Inquisitor's sharp smile pierced through the shadows.

"Inquisitor Mordecai Toth," Jacques greeted, eyes narrowed.

The black-skinned, psychically gifted Inquisitor smiled, "Good to see you again, Jacques Jeàn Mortensen of Eden. How long as it been, my lad?"

"Twenty-three years," Jacques replied, trying to hold back the contempt.

"That would seem about right, Mortensen," Toth agreed, "Well...your time has come."

Jacques's face became that of disinterest, "Are you here to escort me to my final judgement?"

Toth nodded and frowned, "Yes. If you would kindly follow me, the Emperor's Holy Inquisition awaits you."

Jacques nodded and he stepped through the door out of his cell. He held his head high despite having a pair of lasguns trained on him, one of which jabbed him in the back and he bit his lip slightly as it caused him to ache a bit. He was led through the torch-lit corridors, hearing the moans of the other prisoners of the cells he passed. Soon he reached a large staircase where an elevator greeted him at the top.

Two more stormtrooper were present and they saluted Toth as the large elevator door they were guarding opened. Jacques, the stormtroopers and Toth stepped into it. The doors slowly closed, where Jacques took one last look at the prison that was his home for all of this month. He surprisingly didn't lurch forward as the elevator rocked suddenly and begun it's ascent upwards. Jacques was curious as to what had been happening during his incarceration.

He refrained from reading Toth's mind out of respect, but didn't mind looking into the psyches of the stormtroopers. He frowned, sensing how they felt about him: A heretic, a traitor to the Imperium, and to them more disturbing…a xeno-sympathiser. For that, he felt sorry for them, knowing that their ignorance would never allow them the chance to know what life really had to offer.

His thoughts were interrupted when the elevator doors opened, revealing an elegant looking hallway, where Grey Knights, the military arm of the Inquisition, lined the walls. They turned their heads to look at Jacques as he stepped out the life, accompanied by Toth. The stormtroopers stayed in the lift and disappeared from sight as the doors slowly closed.

"Heretic walking," a Grey Knight sergeant called out, where one could easily notice the contempt in his voice.

Jacques could sense the Grey Knights anger for him as he strode past them towards the massive doors, where he knew what laid on the other side. A High Conclave, where each and every one of those Inquisitors would be out for his blood, with an Inquisitor Lord overseeing the proceedings and making sure his condemnation goes as planned.

He could hear the grinding of gears as the massive crystalline doors opened to reveal a large chamber, where the Inquisitors stood high above him in a circular balcony stretching around the length of the chamber. The Inquisitor lord sitting on his throne and watching Jacques step out into the light. Immediately, the chattering and contemplating of several Inquisitors assaulted his tuned ears, before they held their tongues to look down on Jacques with much contempt.

Jacques recognised the lead judge Inquisitor, it was **Lord Fyodor Karamazov**, the most dreaded and hated of all the Inquisitors. The old man looked down at Jacques with a frown, as if he wasn't surprised to see him here. He saw Inquisitor Toth stand behind him, where his eyes shifted around the balcony above.

"Members of the Holy Inquisition of the God-Emperor," Toth begun loudly, "I bring before you Sergeant Jacques Mortensen, Ultramarines 1st Company."

Karamazov stared at Jacques as he sat up from his seat, where his midget cherub assistant handed him a scroll. He opened and slowly browsed through it, taking his time reading every little detail of Jacques' supposed crimes. This took him close to an hour, when he was finished he lowered the parchment and stared straight down at the Marine.

"Sergeant Jacques Jeàn Mortensen, 1st Company of the Ultramarines," the old Inquisitor begun, "Why I am not surprised to see you here? You stand accused of illegally scrutinising with foul xenos forces, both **Kemono** and Eldar, threatening the integrity and well being of your legion, the Adeptus Astartes, the Imperium and all of humanity."

He narrowed his eyes.

"How do you plead?"

Jacques returned the frown, as he stepped forward and allowing the Inquisitors to further study him. Toth smiled, seeing that he was about to demonstrate his defiance before the Inquisition itself, and that it would be interesting.

"I plead guilty," Jacques responded surprisingly, "I justify my actions towards the Imperium's continued survival."

Gasps and murmuring sounded off around the Inquisitors as they watched the proceedings, surprised that he would say such a thing, which was a first for the Inquisition, except Karamazov.

"Well, it would seem this will be a short trial," the Inquisitor Lord indicated, slightly smug, "But just for the record, do you wish to explain yourself?"

"Gladly," Jacques said, "Yes, I did associate with aliens. Like you just said, I did associate with the Kemono of Lylat, but it was out of the necessity to survive and preserve the Gene-seed long enough to be reunited with my chapter. As for the events of last month, it was necessary for the continued survival of the Imperium…"

"Like you just said," Karamazov pointed out, mirroring what he had said, "But what possessed you to even accept their help?"

Jacques responded, "It was in desperation, Inquisitor. If I, and indeed those under my command, did not accept the Eldar of Ulthwe's help in eradicating the Tyranid grip on Medusa II, we would not have lived long enough to complete our objectives…"

"Yes, yes, yes," another Inquisitor said nodding, "And destroying the Hive Mind. But you dared side against the escaped Eldar witch known as **Taldeer, **the same witch responsible for the incident on Lorn V? And allowing her to escape?"

"I do," Jacques replied, "Why do you think I took full responsibility for my squad's, and my chapter's, actions in allying with the Craftworld?"

The Inquisitor, surprised at Jacques' defiance, turned to Karamazov, who sat back down and looked through the scroll, until he found something interesting. He smiled; eyes lit up in glee, seeing this as the final nail in Jacques' coffin…

"Is it true that for a time, you were stationed in Lylat way before you were stranded in Lylat last year?" Karamazov asked, "That accursed, Chaos-tainted system, where the Ultramarines to deployed to claim Cerinia and it's populous?"

Jacques nodded, but infuriated over the terms 'accursed' and 'claimed', "That is true. But I do not see how this has got to do with…"

"You became close to the Cerinians," Karamazov explained, still reading from the parchment, "And when the 2nd Company was recalled and replaced with a detachment of Imperial Guard, you requested your captain that you would stay put to safeguard the Cerinian royal family. I'm thinking, and so is the other Inquisitors, that your time spent with the Cerinians and in the Lylat System has clearly slowed your mind."

Jacques shook his head, "That is not true. I attained knowledge in fighting the Forces of Disorder and put it to good use during the battle of Papetoon last year."

"Nevertheless, you think more of fighting alongside aliens than you do with your own kind," Karamazov said, "We read your thoughts, young Mortensen. Why do you think of aliens as your equals?"

Jacques face was expressionless as he stared up at the Inquisitors, before his hand found itself grasping the necklace around his neck, where upon contact he remembered who it was that gave it to him…the only person he held dear to himself, his best friend in the entire universe. Toth's eyes widened, upon sensing his thoughts, as did some of the other psychically gifted Inquisitors, where one whispered into Karamazov's ear, whose eyes widened and he looked angry. He glared down at Jacques.

"I know you can read my thoughts, Inquisitors," Jacques said, "But I will tell you straight from my own mouth that I was raised with the ideals of life. That all forms should co-exist as one, and they should each respect one another upon this plane of existence. We are no different."

To Toth, it was amusing to see the horrified faces of every single Inquisitor in the courtroom, where each and every one of them wanted to run down there and tear Jacques apart. Karamazov's face seared with anger as he hands appeared to tear his scroll up without him knowing. To him, this Space Marine and his ideals were too dangerous. But his knowledge on alien races, especially those that lived within the Lylat system, was even more detailed than the book of **Xenology** .

He shook his head and focused down at Jacques, making sure to let him see his anger.

"Do you even care that you on the trial for your life?" Karamazov demanded angrily, "That you are being judged as a heretic?"

"I do, Lord Inquisitor," Jacques responded calmly, "Before you I show no fear."

"Why is that? I wish to know why."

"I have no reason to fear you, for it is the Emperor that should judge me."

"You should be afraid. We could have your gene-seed removed slowly and painfully, and have you burned alive at the stake in some busy street corner on some hive-world," another Inquisitor reminded him, "Do you still want to serve the Imperium and the Emperor?"

"Yes," Jacques said, "But I believe knowledge of, and co-existence with, other species is necessary for humanity's survival. And that was necessary for Medusa II and it's population's survival. As well as all those other times throughout the Imperium's long existence."

Karamazov nodded, beginning to understand what he was saying. He knew that Jacques' had the right intentions. Indeed if it wasn't for the Eldar's appearance on Medusa II and his calling upon their aid to stop the Tyranids from destroying the planet's massive power plant, Terra would have been open for attack, as the Medusa system was not that far away from the Imperial throne-world.

But still…

'This man's ideals is too dangerous,' he thought, rubbing his chin, 'But his knowledge on the xenos is…indispensable.'

Another Inquisitor leaned into to whisper, "For the sake of the Emperor, we should get rid of him. His ideals are disturbing to even think about. Emperor knows how many people may come round to what he has to say and believe."

Karamazov frowned, "I would blame whoever it was that put those ideas into his head. This Marine is too valuable, both for his knowledge and the immense power that he has repressed within his frame, but…"

He then sighed and rubbed his forehead, trying to vent his frustration and a growing headache.

"He _**is **_dangerous, after all. And that he is the only link between us and…Eden."

A look of panic crossed over the other Inquisitors, the each of them having heard that name: Eden. A name, which they hope, they would never have to hear again. Karamazov looked down at Jacques, whom he could sense the defiance with him. His eyes focused on Inquisitor Toth, where he looked back. Karamazov raised his eyes brows and indicated Jacques with his eyes, where Toth then nodded.

"Mortensen," Karamazov boomed as he stood from his throne, "We have judged that your faith is pure in the eyes of the Emperor and your cause is noble in nature. This is all proven through your service to the Imperium and that you have safeguarded your fellow man and the Emperor's realm. But unfortunately we deem your ideals as heretical and they can never be made a reality. And that is what makes you the Imperium's most dangerous individual."

Jacques eyes widened, where for once he was beginning to feel doubt. He then shook his head, closing his eyes tightly, before opening them again and focusing back on Karamazov and the rest of his judgement.

"We have no choice but to sentence you to Arco Flagellation."

And with that the Inquisitors couldn't hold back the smirks and evil smiles, which spread over all of them, having got the verdict they desired. If posterity wasn't present they begun cheering joyfully, and jeering at Jacques. He kept a straight face and stared straight at the Inquisitors high above, showing no drop of fear.

Karamazov narrowed his eyes, "Since you still yearn to serve the Emperor amidst your heathen beliefs, you shall. Only that you will no longer be in control of yourself, rather of those who require your services as the juggernaut Space Marine you are…namely the Inquisitorial forces who will forever strive to safeguard our Imperium and all of humanity from the foul presence of the heretic."

"By the authority granted by the Imperial Administratrum, the Ministorum, and the Ecclesiarchy – Holy Church of the God-Emperor of Mankind, may he himself have mercy on your soul."

Toth then gripped his daemonhammer, where he took a step forward towards Jacques, where he reared himself to swing his mighty weapon. Jacques knew what was going to happen once he woke up, but he dared not try to act, knowing that his death and unfortunate resurrection as a Arco Flagellant would keep every one of his friends safe from the Imperium's wrath. He could only take in his last breath and cross his arms.

'Remember me, Emperor of Mankind,' he thought, 'You must understand and know that my beliefs and my cause are just. Surely, you would see that, my Master.'

And with that, Toth swung his hammer and it clipped the back of Jacques skull. He fell forward flat on the marble floor, where he begun to feel the darkness creep in around him. He gritted his teeth as he felt a concussion gnaw at him, before he grew lax as he rolled over on his back, looking up at Toth, who looked down at him with vehemence, though he could some pity in his eyes.

"Krystal," he said softly, her beautiful cerulean smiling image the last thing he saw, before his eyes closed and he grew lax, the sounds of people cheering being silenced in his mind upon being rendered to unconsciousness.

Karamazov turned to his cherub assistant, where he crossed his arms and frowned.

"Take this down."

The Cherub immediately began to write away at the scroll, as Karamazov begun to dictate to it.

"Send Mortensen to be processed on Titan. The Grey Knights and the Adeptus Mechanicas detachment there can 'tend' to him. They are to make sure he can never be a burden towards the Imperium ever again."

He then exhaled painfully, his migraine still eating away at his head.

"By the Emperor," he mumbled, "I need a drink."

----------

Trillions of light years away and slowly drifting through the blackness of space that was the Lylat System, the Great Fox passed by the pieces that used to be Falconia as it fired up it's engines and begun to fly away from the sector. Fox McCloud sat in his chair on the bridge, where he reconfigured his personal computer as he thought about the events of today.

"Hey, Fox?"

He turned to his side to see the cerulean vixen Krystal, Cerinia's last daughter, where he smiled warmly as he gazed at her. She returned the smile, where Fox promptly blushed, where then quickly suppressed it.

"Yeah?" Fox responded.

"Any word from Peppy?" Krystal asked, "He said he'd be here in time for the memorial."

Fox downcast his eyes and shook his head, "Sorry, Krys. I don't think he'll be coming."

Krystal shook her head sadly, "It's not like him to miss Falco's own day of mourning."

The avian himself Falco then stepped onto the bridge, saying as he sat down near a terminal, "Try being the head of the entire Cornerian Military for a day, and you'll see that it's take up your entire life."

Obviously startled, Krystal said loudly, "That still isn't a really good reason why."

"Anyway, any signs of conflict in this part of the universe?" Falco asked, "A hostage crisis? Bank robberies? Floods…anything? I can't take any more of this peaceful living crap?"

"Sorry, Falco," Fox replied, stretching his arms above his head and yawning, "It's utopian season once again."

Falco chuckled and scratched his forehead, "Well, I'll be glad when Venom decides to take another potshot at universal domination."

Krystal smiled and stepped out of the bridge, where Fox switched off his own personal computer, got off his seat and stepped out, following suit; leaving Falco alone on the bridge. He looked out over the stars through the window, where it's own glorious image raised his spirits a little, and the fact that is was great to be alive.

Still…

'Jeez, I wish frog-boy was still around,' he thought, then begun to add sarcasm, 'He'd say something ridiculous and I'd counter it. Boy, these are glory days indeed.'

Fox traversed the hallway down to his quarters, passing by what used to be Peppy's room, followed by ROB MK-III's closet, then by Krystal's room. He smiled when he passed her door, where inside she herself sat on her bed, eyes focused in deep meditation with her staff situated on her lap. She opened her left eye, sensing Fox had passed her room, where she exhaled.

Fox opened the door into his room and flopped onto his bed, where the door closed itself behind him. He had so many things running through his head, he had to imagine he was nowhere else in the universe but in his own world just to sort to sort them out. He sighed as he switched off, feeling himself float in a state of dark bliss that was his own private world.

'Alright,' he thought as he smiled.

It had been a year since the attempted Chaos takeover of the Lylat System, and life had returned completely back to normal…a bit too normal. Mass conflict had all but disappeared from the face of the system and what seemed to be a new dawn of peace was evident…and that there was no place for the Star Fox team to exist here.

Peppy, his long-time mentor and oldest friend, had left the team just after the destruction of Papetoon, to take over leadership of the Cornerian Defence Forces from General Pepper. The general had resigned due to his near life-threatening stress and alcoholism brought on by the Imperial intervention, which had caused the destruction of Papetoon. Peppy was the obvious choice to become his replacement because of his previous experience with the military in his days with James, before they forged Star Fox.

Falco had become nearly withdrawn following Papetoon, having been shaken immensely since the encounter with the Orks, the forces of Chaos and possibly the most dreaded of all, the Imperium. He was almost a shadow of his former self, where even though he did not let up with his cynicism and wisecracks, he did begin to take things a whole lot seriously. And on this day on the anniversary of his planet's destruction he was a husk, where he would spend most of the day listening to his Death Metal CDs, or known as 'those god-awful tunes' by Slippy. This excluding when he was up at observation silently watching his planet's debris float by, where he would mutter silent prayers.

_A/N: I believe the music Falco possibly listens to sounds like the rock band __**Bolt Thrower**__…__which are also fans of Warhammer 40,000 by the way._

Slippy had left the team months ago, having decided to join his father Beltino in the Cornerian Research & Development, which Fox had come to accept as a great career choice. He was also happy for him, having heard he was dating some girl named Amanda and Slippy had yet to reveal her to him and the remaining members of Star Fox. In fact he was (understandably) incredibly surprised that Slippy would even get a girlfriend.

Things had been very slow and steady with Krystal, as the both of them were now dating and feeling their love for one another steadily grow day by day, well at least he felt it did. The both of them agreed to just take it slow knowing that even though they were closer than ever before, they weren't keen on rushing ahead and spoiling something so prospective like their romance. She would spend most of her time also in her room in deep meditation, as if trying to reach out to someone…

…and that someone Fox guessed would be Jacques Mortensen, the former Heavy Weapons Specialist of the team, whose time with Star Fox was brief, but definitely memorable. Ever since his departure the atmosphere on the ship was generally moody, even at this time of peace. Fox couldn't help but worry what would have happened to him once he returned to the Space Marines and the Imperium, fearing they might persecute him for his ideals.

He then shook his head of his thoughts and returned to reality, leaving his little fantasy world. He was glad it wasn't one of his terrible nightmares, which has been plaguing him ever since the destruction of Papetoon. He looked over at the window, hands resting behind his head. He exhaled softly and smiled, before looking back up at the ceiling.

'At least we have peace, now,' he thought, trying to think of something good that had come out of all this, 'Ah…!'

He groaned.

'Who am I trying to kid?'

Meanwhile Krystal eyes were closed tightly in a frown as she sensed something rather…unsettling. It was nothing she had ever since before, and by the feel of it was close. She winkled her nose as she focused deeply.

'What is this I am sensing?' she thought, 'It feels…odd.'

She focused somewhat more deeply, trying to find the source of this strange aura that she swore she could feel envelop her in complete and utter coldness. She shivered slightly, beginning to sense that this was…

Krystal… 

Her eyes shot open, "Jacques."

Silence.

"Jacques?" she queried.

She closed her eyes and focused even deeper, trying to recapture that mind link she swore she had just established with her spiritual brother, but to no avail. But suddenly, she sensed a strange that felt very unnatural…which was becoming close to feeling like it was evil. Krystal's eyes twitched from behind their lids. She then gasped.

'No…it can't be!'

_Well it is, Princess Krystal!_

Krystal's shot open and she cried out as she heard that from the back of her mind. She almost fell off his bed, but instead leaned back on her bed, her staff cluttering onto the carpeted floor. Her eyes were wide as she thought like that something had invaded her mind.

'You? I know you!' she thought, panicked.

Relax, Your Highness, the rough, evil sounding voice reassured her, It seems I have caught you at a bad time. Perhaps when the time comes when we meet once again we will talk openly. But for now, you can enjoy your peace for as long as it lasts in this miserable system. So I bid you good day.

As quickly as this unseen force struck her, it removed itself from her mind, leaving Krystal gasping on her bed. She then turned on her side and promptly fell on the floor, where she grunted in pain. She then reached for her staff, where she gripped it tightly, and feeling it's energies recover her gradually. She sighed and rolled on her back.

'What just happened?' she thought, exasperated, 'It couldn't have been him?'

She then rubbed her forehead, feeling a migraine coming on.

"Could it?" she asked herself.


	3. Chapter 2: The Coming Storm

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_Edits made: __Name of Vincent Shultz's brother.  
__Paul Armiel's name.  
__Description of battlefield.  
__Commissar Plymouth's weaponry_

* * *

Chapter 2 – The Coming Storm

* * *

Any Cadian who can't fieldstrip his own lasgun by the age of 10 was born on the wrong planet.  
- **Common Quote, Imperial Guard of Cadia.**

Standing before the beauty and glory that was the Webway gate, the Eldar Farseer was kneeled down before it, her witchblade lying in front of her. She closed her eyes and removed her helmet and headgear, revealing a rather beautiful, young-looking female Elf with reddish brown hair and silver-colouered eyes, whose face was that of tiredness. She gently placed her helm down next to her witchblade and focussed, channelling her psychic energies towards the Webway.

'Archon of Eden,' she thought into the webway, 'Can you hear me? Have your own people turned on you? Do you require assistance?'

She was expecting an answer from this 'Guardian' as she attempted to reach out for him. What she received in response was what sounded like static. The Farseer was beginning to feel grim as she thought harder, trying to reach him…but to no avail. But still, she tried again, not wanting to give up on him that easily.

'Archon of Eden, Protector of Life,' she thought again, 'Will you not respond to me? Will you not heed our calls? Is there not proof that you are still alive?'

And judging from the fact she wasn't receiving any of this proof, she felt a tear slip from her eye, which rolled down her cheek as sadness overwhelmed her. She let it roll down off her face and onto the floor, where she handled her helmet and put it back on, where she gripped her staff, commonly known as a witchblade in the Eldar tongue. She turned around just in time to greet a Seer Councillor.

"Exalted Farseer Taldeer," the male Seer bowed, "Have you managed to reach him?"

"I fear he may no longer be able to return our favour," she responded, "His own people have no understanding of what his position in life is."

The Seer looked shocked, "You mean is he dead, Farseer?"

"I can not be sure," Taldeer replied, "All I know is that I can not reach him, therefore we must expect the worst."

A cloak-wearing Ranger suddenly appeared in the doorway leading toward the Webway gate, looking breathless as his mask was missing, as was his rifle. Both the Seer and the Farseer looked his way, questioningly.

"Farseer," the Ranger struggled to say, "The Imperials…they have breached out perimeter. Sturnn is with them."

The Seer looked at the Ranger as if he was crazy, before suddenly turning to the Farseer.

"Who else would they send to finally vanquish us?" Taldeer queried, before saying with determination, "It is time we settled this matter now, and for good."

----------

It was a rainy, stormy night on some God-forsaken deserted rock, which was now scarred through the tides of war as both human and elf, Imperial and Eldar, fought one another amongst the mud, blood, and bodies. The amount of gunfire, explosions, screams and barking orders was almost enough to drown out the sound of the rain falling down.

"YOU FILTHY ALIENS! GO BACK TO YOUR OWN FUCKING HOMEWORLD!"

A single Imperial Guardsman went bayonet against singing sword where he spouted curses as he drove his bayonet through the neck of the Eldar Guardian, before pulling the trigger and firing his lasgun, separating the head from the neck. He then begun to laugh like crazy as the effects of war finally begun to chew away at his sense. He was still laughing as the next Eldar ran up to him and hack him down, where his blood was mixed with those who already laid dead on the muddy no-man's land.

The sounds of gunfire, both men and Eldar screaming, the pounding of the Leman Russ battle tank, the Eldar Fire Prism hovertank and the Basilisk artillery cannons filled the night air as the rain came down in massive torrents over the large, narrow trench system. The men clad in their flak jackets and armed with their lasguns were already knee-deep in a mix of water, mud, blood and bodies, both Imperial and Ulthwe Eldar. They shivered immensely as they each huddled under their rain-coats and near each other as they leaned against the wall of the trench, in a vain effort to keep warm, and to regain closure, not caring if the Commissar came along to stir them back to attention.

And the scarred, middle-aged Commissar looked over his platoon and he rolled his eyes in annoyance. The Imperial Commissar appearing to be in his late fifties and just happened to be armed with a sabre in his left hand, then aimed his laspistol up in the air. He then pulled the trigger, where instantly the men cried out in fright and gripped their weapons. The Commissar then had a rather disturbed look on his face, where he then aimed his lasgun at the nearest guardsman, who eyes widened in fright.

"Any of you even think of dozing off and letting the witches flank us, you'll be the first to know of my irritancy," the Commissar cried out, "Got it?"

The guardsman nodded quickly, "Ye…yes, sir!"

The Commissar nodded and lowered his pistol, "Now, Fix bayonets! We are preparing to climb over and drive these foul aliens off the face of this rock!"

With that, the guardsmen platoon of twenty so-called proud and strong Imperial Guardsmen pulled out their bayonets and attached them to the end of their rifles, a few of them muttering silent prayers to the Emperor, one of whom was a young blue-eyed, orange-haired, freckle-faced nineteen-year old farm boy. His eyes were closed tightly as he prayed silently, holding his bead necklace in his hands.

"Please, highest," he said, slightly stressed, "Please watch over me as I take the plunge in my first battle. If something should happen to me, please watch over my family. Especially, Karl."

He then felt a cold hand on his shoulder, where he turned to see the elderly Commissar smiling at him. The guardsman's eyes widened, slightly panicked at the sight of a Commissar smiling. He knew they would only look at you to either threaten you or kill you, and most times it would be both.

"What's your name, son?" the Commissar asked.

"P…Private Second Class Vincent Schultz, sir," the private replied, stuttering slightly.

"Well, Private Schultz," the Commissar said, "You will make your family proud today as you and your comrades expunge these foul aliens from the Emperor's realm. Remember that _**he**_ is watching you from his Golden Throne."

"Yes, sir," the guardsman known as Vincent said, smiling slightly, "I will remember that, sir."

"Good," the Commissar said, before his smile vanished and he narrowed his eyes, "Just don't fail me, alright?"

Vincent eyes widened and he gulped painfully, the stutter returning, "Y…y…yes sir!"

The Commissar then turned away and continued walking down the trench, his men standing to attention. Commissar Rowan Plymouth knew he could count on his men to get the job down, they always have ever since their own home planet was destroyed. His men, have always gotten the job down, where they had risen up against the odds together for many, many years. Today would be no different.

"ALIENS INCOMING!" a voice called out from the other end of the trench.

Plymouth quickly turned and stepped towards one of the trench's periscopes and looked through it. He frowned when he saw what appeared to be Eldar Wailing Banshees running across the battle-scarred No Man's Land. He gripped his sabre and held his laspistol over his shoulder as he prepared to take the fight to them once and fall.

"PREPARE TO REPEL ELDAR, MEN!" he called out, "FOR THE IMPERIUM! FOR THE EMPEROR!"

The men all let out a loud battle cry and gripped their las-weapons as they raised themselves above the trenches, where they saw the dozens of Eldar Banshees rushing toward them, swords glistening with the blood of the first wave of Imperial Guard they had sliced through. Plymouth was the first to aim his weapon, where he fired a precision shot which hit then nearest Banshee in the face, killing her.

The Imperial Guardsmen then opened up with their lasguns, cutting down the Banshees as they got within metres of the trench. Vincent narrowed his eyes and he looked through the sight of his gun and picked his shots, the sounds of battle being intensified as the Basilisks from behind the trench system begun to open up and pelt the area with shells, sending Banshees flying like rag dolls.

One of them fell into the trench, scaring the hell out of Vincent. It startled him even more when the Banshee got up and swung her sword at the young guardsman, where he swerved to avoid her slash and dive forward, driving his bayonet into her chest. She let out a whimper, blood gushing from her wound and onto Vincent. Not wanting her to suffer, he pulled the trigger and blew her back out, killing her quickly.

"OVER THE TOP!" Plymouth ordered, "NOW!"

The guardsmen all climbed over the top of trench, seeing the massive Imperial concrete fortress that was only a dozen yards away. Eldar gun emplacements fired from the towers and the gun slots as the guardsmen begun to charge across the no-man's land, the rain still coming down from above where they struggled to not fall in the holes caused by the artillery, which was now falling down upon the Eldar-controlled fortress.

Eldar Guardian Squads fire their catapult rifles from their fox holes, where Vincent grabbed one his grenades, pulled the pin and hurled it into the nearest hole, sending the Eldar flying from the resulting explosion. Plymouth as he led the charge hacked his way through an entire Fire Dragon squad, where he drove his sabre through the chest of one Eldar, before pulling his sword out and slashing his head off. He then fired his laspistol at the other members, downing them quickly.

The guardsmen still fired off their las-weapons as they converged over the mud and grim, where the Eldar guardians leapt out of their holes and charged at the guardsmen, at least five squads of ten against almost a hundred Imperials. The guardians drew their blades and slashed down the first line of guardmen, before the next line attacked with their bayonets. Plymouth swung his sabre at the legs of the nearest guardian, sweeping him off his feet before driving his sabre into his chest.

Vincent rejoined his squad as they blasted their way through the attacking Eldar, where the sergeant was the first to greet him.

"Nice of you to rejoin us, Schultz!" the sarge growled, "Try to go Lone Wolf again and I'll have your head!"

"Sorry, sir!" Vincent cried, before firing his lasgun and scoring another Eldar kill, "It won't happen again."

The Imperial Guard soon pushed through the Eldar ground forces, where the Eldar still in the fortress still fired down at them. Vincent was quick to dive into the nearest fox-hole while the laser fire ripped apart the five of his squad, where their screams mirrored that of the Eldar as they were finished off by the guardsmen. Plymouth glared and reached for his earpiece radio.

"General," Plymouth cried, "I need additional fire support."

_I hear you, Plymouth, _the other line said, _Vultures are en-route to your position, so I advise you to take cover._

"Yes, sir!" Plymouth replied, "Will you be joining us soon?"

_Of course, _the other line replied nonchalantly, _My troops have breached the northern and western defences and have taken down whatever resistance these aliens threw at us. Besides, I got some unfinished business with that Farseer._

"Confirmed," Plymouth replied, "Out!"

With that, the roar of Vulture atmosphere gunships was heard as they flew across the battlefield, where they unloaded their Vulcan and missile rounds into the gun ports in the sides of the fortress, blowing away any unfortunate Eldar that manned the guns there, splattering their frail bodies. The guardsmen all cheered as they saw the Eldar defence dwindling gradually, before they broke cover from their foxholes and got back to charging towards the fortress.

Plymouth gripped his weapons as he trudged over the mud and bodies, relieved that splinter fire was no longer blazing from the fortress. He saw the massive front entrance into the fortress slowly close, where he cursed silently as he and his platoon just managed to reach it.

"Damn," he cursed, before banging his fist on the solid door.

Suddenly, gun ports opened to the side of the doors, where two automated guns appeared and begun blazing away at Plymouth and his men. Several were instantly cut down, where Plymouth dropped onto his stomach and quickly aimed and fired his laspistol, destroying the both of them. He then sheathed his sabre and reached for his radio.

"Fire control, this is Plymouth," he begun, "Direct Basilisk fire to grid 4-3-0. Destroy this damn door, will you?"

_Affirmative! Get clear in ten seconds._

Plymouth then cried out into the air, "Men, Tactical retreat!"

They then ran away from the blast door and dropped once again into the mud, just in time for the artillery to land directly on the door, blasting a massive hole in it and scattering pieces of metal all overt the place, luckily not toward anyone. Vincent lifted his face up from the mud, where he wiped it away from his eyes.

"ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE IN BUSINESS!" the sergeant cried, "WHAT ARE YOUR ORDERS?"

Plymouth frowned, "Advance!"

The guardsmen then advanced back towards the fortress, where suddenly two squads of Eldar Warp Spiders phased before them, firing their plasma cannons. Vincent stabbed forward with his bayonet, penetrating through the nearest Warp Spider's white-coloured armour and through the heart, before pulling back out and slashing him across the throat. He and the other guardsmen then fired their lasguns, cutting down the Warp Spiders, where two remaining Eldar teleported out of there and back into the fortress.

"Cowards!" the sergeant cried.

"Keep going!" Plymouth cried, "The objective is near!"

Followed by fifty guardsmen, Plymouth stepped through the hole in the blast door, where he was surprised to see he and his men were not greeted by any more Eldar resistance. They were probably held up in the centre of the fortress, along with the Farseer and her Seer Councillors. He drew his sabre once again and he and his men quietly trudged down the passage from the front entrance, the lights dimming slightly from the artillery that was still falling down on top of the fortress.

They soon reached a junction, where they then noticed shadows approaching from the left. Plymouth and his men gripped their weapons, where with a cry of might they lunged to greet their Eldar enemy…only instead to find a rather battle-hardened Imperial General whose lightning claws were blood-red and his wrist-equipped storm bolter was smoking. Physically he looked as if he was in his late fifties, where his hair was all but greyed over, and he had gained a few scars on his cragged, battle-hardened, yet weary face.

"Nice of you to join us, General Sturnn," Plymouth said, smiling.

The men cheered upon seeing the legendary general himself, where behind him laid several slashed Eldar bodies, some of which had smoking holes in their bodies. The general just smiled and retracted his blades.

"Thank you, Commissar," Sturnn said, "It's good to be on the field once again."

"Where are your men, sir?"

"They've secured the flanks outside the fortress," Sturnn explained, "I'm all that's left of my command squad The artillery will stop soon, seeing as we've secured this facility."

The sergeant of Vincent's squad stepped forward, "Sir, permission to speak?"

"Granted, Sergeant Armiel."

"What are we going to do about the Farseer, sir?" Sergeant Armiel asked.

Sturnn narrowed his eyes, "Leave her to me. I'm going ahead and personally seeing to her demise. Secure this facility until I return…with her head of course."

Armiel turned to Plymouth, where the Commissar nodded and added, "You heard the general. Secure the facility until _**we **_return."

The sergeant's eyes widened, seeing that he was going to accompany the general, where then nodded and saluted, "Yes, sir!"

And with that, Plymouth and Sturnn took off down another corridor, where the artillery hitting the fortress gradually fizzled out, where instantly dozens of Eldar appeared out of thin air. A massive close-quarters battle begun in the tight corridors of the fortress, with the guardsmen fighting tooth and nail with their bayonets, against the space elves. Sturnn's claws protracted where he slashed down a Warlock, before driving his claws through the chest of a Guardian. Plymouth parried against a banshee, where she swung at his head, he ducked and slashed her chest open. He then sensed a guardian coming up from behind, so he spun around and fired his laspistol, blowing the top part of his head off.

With his squad behind him, Armiel slashed forward with his sabre, hacking the sword-carrying arm off a guardian, before he rendered his head off. He then aimed his laspistol and fired a precision shot, hitting a warp spider in the head. He then felt himself get swept off his feet and land on his back, where a guardian stood above him, clutching his bloodstained blade. Armiel raised his laspistol, only to have it swatted off his hand. The guardian then brought his blade down, where it penetrated his flak jacket and pierced his chest.

"ARGHHHHH!"

He screamed, feeling the Eldar's blade dig into his chest, before he gritted his teeth and swung his sabre, slicing the guardian's leg off and bringing him down. He then got back and drove his sabre through the guardian's head, his blade coated with alien blood and brain matter. He then struggled to stand up as he continued to fight on, despite being stabbed in the chest.

Sturnn and Plymouth fought their way through the hallway towards the elevators, where Plymouth pushed the call button. They engaged in swordplay with more Eldar, where Sturnn cried out and dove forward, driving his claws through the chest of another Eldar, brining him down to his knees. He then pulled out from his holster underneath his uniform and finished the warp spider off with a shot to the head. Plymouth drove his knee into the gut of a guardian, before bringing his sabre and slicing him across the torso, rendering him in two. In a final act of mercy, he aimed his laspistol at the still-alive Eldar's head and fired, sparing him from the horrors of being torn into two pieces.

The elevator door opened, where the two Imperial officers stepped in, and the doors closed. They felt themselves being slowly lowered down, leaving the battle that was just raging among the hallways of the fortress. Sturnn took this time to load another clip into his storm bolter, while Plymouth held his laspistol even tighter. They knew she and her Councillors would be on the bottom floor, Floor –10 to be precise.

"What do we do once we find the Farseer, general?" Plymouth asked, as the both of them faced the door.

Sturnn frowned, "We kill her, Commissar. That is all there is to it, and I for one am going to enjoy ending her pointless, traitorous life."

Suddenly the lift screamed to a screeching halt, where the lights suddenly went out. Sturnn cursed lightly, quickly figuring out that this was a trap and that in his haste to confront the alien that lost him something valuable years, he fell for it. He extended his claws and penetrated the metal doors, where in an impressive feat of strength for someone his age, he forced the doors to open. He and Plymouth than leaped out of the lift, just before the lift suddenly went down again at an alarming rate, where it then exploded once it hit the bottom.

They were in another hallway with several doors located to the sides. Suddenly, Eldar Fire Dragons busted forth from these doors, fusion guns at the ready. Sturnn and Plymouth narrowed their eyes and with cries of might, charge forward and dodging the fire dragon's blasts, before they engaged in swordplay with the Eldar, blocking against their strikes and countering with their own savage blows, hacking down onto the floor.

"Kaela…Mensha Khaine…" one of the fire dragons moaned as he laid on the blood-soaked floor, "Forgive our…failure."

The Eldar then felt Sturnn's foot crush his chest, before he and Plymouth moved forward. They encountered no more resistance as they reached a staircase at the other end of the hallway and made their way downwards towards the Command Centre, both eager to kill whomever it was that dared bring her minions to one of the Emperor's worlds.

And from the control centre, _**she **_watched Plymouth and Sturnn run down the spiralling staircase from the large screen alongside her Seer councillors, all eight of them. Although they couldn't see her face from behind her headgear, they could tell of her feelings of both sadness and vehemence.

"Farseer Taldeer," a female Seer begun, "What do we do now?"

The Ulthwe Farseer known as Taldeer lowered her head in sadness, "The Imperials would not heed our warnings and calls to fight this new menace. I'm afraid, brother and sisters, that we on our own once again."

"Surely you don't mean that?" another Seer asked, "There has got to be at least one human who would be willing to ally with us."

Taldeer turned to the Seers, "I am afraid that he may be no longer be with us, having being put down by his own people just for accepting our help. Ever since Medusa V, the humans would not take any more chances."

"You're damn right about that, Farseer!"

The Eldar turned to the doorway to see General Sturnn and Commissar Plymouth standing in the doorway, their blades soaked in Eldar blood, as was their boots. Sturnn wiped the blood off his forehead, flicking it onto the ground, before he smiled, seeing his prey. Taldeer stepped forward away from her Seers, to better confront the general.

"General Sturnn," Taldeer begun, somewhat amused, "This is somewhat unexpected. We were just settling here in this seemingly abandoned fortress for the week and you come along, unprovoked, to vanquish us."

Sturnn chuckled, "That sounds very familiar, Farseer. And goddamn it that sounds hilarious."

He then frowned, where he balled his fists.

"You costed me something very important to me. More important than my own life," he said menacingly, "Remember Lorn V?"

"Perfectly," Taldeer replied, voice rising in defiance, "There was nothing we could have done to save your Titan. It was either it's destruction or the downfall of the entire universe. Surely you would understand that, General…and…"

Her voice suddenly begun soft again which surprised both Sturnn and Plymouth immensely.

"…might I inquire how as to how you managed escaped from the Titan as it was in it's final death throws?"

"That's classified, Farseer!" Sturnn exclaimed, the surprise having quickly worn off him.

With that he got into a battle stance and stared down the Farseer, preparing for combat. Plymouth followed suit, raising his sabre.. Taldeer gripped her staff, while the Seer pulled out their energy blades.

"I never thought that we would ever need to fight each other, General," Taldeer continued, "Our interests in protecting all that live, our own species, are mutual. You understand _**that**_, do you not?"

"Of course," Sturnn smiled, "But we don't want to understand the way you aliens think. It's nothing compared to the teachings of our Emperor."

"I can think of one human who did have a interest in us, and suffered for it."

Sturnn and Plymouths' eyes widened…

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, ELDAR!" the General then cried out where he had not wanted to be reminded about the one they call 'the only good human.'

And with that Sturnn and Plymouth charged forward, where they fired their guns. Farseer opened up a psychic shield, stopping the bolts in their trail. She then cried out in might and the shield expanded, which hit them and sent them flying backwards, where they sprawled out on the floor. Sturnn grunted in pain, before he charged.

"Predictable," Taldeer cried, "You are foolish to make me do this."

She then spun her staff around, creating a massive psychic blast, which enveloped Sturnn in elemental power. He cried out in pain as he felt the energy circulate through his being, frying him from the inside. His claws retracted and protracted as he felt like the nerves in his arm and hands begun melted. He gritted his teeth in pain as he felt himself get lifted up in the air.

"GENERAL!" Plymouth cried as he picked himself up.

All that Sturnn could remember before he passed out was the sound of Plymouth firing his laspistol and the swoosh of his sabre made when he swung it…

**--- 3 MONTHS LATER ---**

The general remembered all that was months ago as he sat at his desk in his office as he went over several documents following the capture of that fortress and the disappearance of Farseer Taldeer and her remaining Eldar. He had wondered what had happened once he regained consciousness, where his Cadian 412th and Plymouth's First-and-Only had secured the fortress and indeed the planet. Plymouth told him that Taldeer and her Seer Councillors had managed to escape through a Webway portal built into the bowels of the fortress, which was immediately destroyed after they went through. And with that, Sturnn rubbed his forehead both in frustration and disdain.

"Damn aliens," he muttered, "Damn them all."

He looked out the window of this office to see the hustle and bustle that Cadia, where thousands of guardsmen marched through the city streets accompanied by Sentinel walkers and Leman Russ'. The Cadian people went about their daily lives, either working in one of the hundreds of armament and vehicle factories or training with the deadliest weapons the Imperium could produce.

All this was not surprising on this massive fortress world, with it being Imperium's main defence against the Eye of Terror, the gateway to the Immaterium, or The Warp, where all of Chaos' minions and creatures resides. Ever since the end Abaddon the Despoilers' thirteenth Black Crusade just last year, security had increased tenfold, with almost a billion Imperial Guard now stationed on the surface and about a hundred ships in orbit, ready for when Chaos attempt to invade once again.

The same could be said about the destruction of Medusa V, with security around Terra and it's outlying planets and systems tightened as well…even more so than usual, anyway. He turned his head to the doorway when it suddenly opened, revealing a young Cadian officer.

He saluted, "General. You're presence is required in the Holo-Conference room, sir."

"Who summons me?" Sturnn asked.

"Lord Castellan Creed and Chapter-Master Calgar of the Ultramarines, sir."

Sturnn nodded and sat up, where he stepped forward towards the officer, who led him out of the office and down the hallway past several other officers, including Sergeant Paul Armiel, whose eyes widened on seeing him. He smiled, and suddenly gritted his teeth in slight pain as his chest ached slightly. Ever since that last battle with the Eldar, his chest still felt irritant at having been stabbed by a Eldar witchblade. He stepped up to the general, who slightly rolled his eyes at the sight of the man.

"General, general sir!" he exclaimed, quickly saluting, "You said you would see me now?"

"It'll have to wait, sergeant," Sturnn said, still walking with Armiel in pursuit, "The Lord Castellan himself requests my presence."

Armiel felt his throat tighten, before he stopped following Sturnn and stood his ground, where he said, "Yes sir."

"See me in about four hours," Sturnn finished, his brown eyes staring down at the purple-eyed, black-bearded sergeant who was in his late thirties, before he continued on down the hallway, "And maybe we'll discuss your possible transfer to Armageddon."

Armiel frowned at seeing him go and mentally cursed at himself, once again being turned down for an audience over a request to transfer to planet Armageddon and to the Steel Legionnaires, believing they saw more action than the Cadian 412th. To him, a man of his expertise deserved to be among others who put their lives on the line for the good of the Imperium, not 'boys' like that little prick Private Schultz

With that Paul Armiel sighed, rubbed his left arm and proceeded to walk back towards the barracks. He considered Cadia, the 'most peaceful' world ever in the entire Imperium. This was so called because Chaos hadn't attempted another invasion in the months following their half-victory and subsequent downfall, where as quickly as they had came they had fled back into the Eye.

_A/N: Remember the 'Eye Of Terror' worldwide campaign back in 2003?_

Sturnn and the officer were before the door leading into the holographic conference room. The officer saluted as the door opened and Sturnn stepped through, being greeted by nothing but a barely lit room. He stepped forward onto a round pad with the Imperial coat of arms on it, where he stood perfectly. Two other pad lit up a translucent greet before him.

"This is Sturnn, Cadian 412th, ID #4536-2219," he said to the computer system built into room, "Awaiting transmission."

_Granted, _a computerised voice announced, _Welcome, General Sturnn. Patching through…Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed and Lord Macragge Marneus Calgar, both on Frequency 43.5._

The room was then bathed in total dark, where a light shone down on Sturnn from abobe. The two other hologram projectors produced images of a man in his late seventies dressed in military uniform with cape and a Space Marine equipped in his towering Terminator armour. Sturnn was quick to salute the images, where the other Imperial officer returned the salute, while the Space Marine Chapter-Master just folded his arms.

"Lord Castellan, Chapter-Master Calgar," Sturnn begun, still holding the salute, "It is an honour to see the both of you in person at once."

"Thank you, General," Creed said, before lowering his saluting hand, "I hope we haven't distracted you from your duties."

Sturnn shook his head, "Not at all, my lord."

"That's good," Calgar said, "Because we are in dire need of both your expertise and your assistance. We have a situation which may prove to be fatal for the survival of the Imperium and possibly the Emperor himself."

Sturnn's eyebrows crossed themselves, "What is it, my lord?"

Creed cleared his throat, "It's the remnants of Chaos' twisted social experiment, the **Children of Eden**."

Sturnn's eyes widened, "Eden? The planet destroyed during** Mission: Xenos**!"

"It would seem fate has woken these traitors up," Calgar explained, "They have being silent for about 14 years. And so soon after the destruction of Papetoon in the Lylat System."

"Where were they last seen, my lord?" Sturnn asked.

"They were spotted by our Kew surveillance outpost at 1435 hours yesterday," Creed explained, "A fleet of about six starships passed through the sector and before we could deploy our fighter squadrons, they entered warpdrive and evaded us. Tell me, General…"

Creed then narrowed his eyes.

"…what lies at least a five-hundred light years from Kew?"

Sturnn mouth was agape slightly, "The Lylat System? But why would they travel to the furry sector?"

"We do not know, general," Calgar replied, "But, given Eden's long history, it's obvious isn't it?"

Sturnn frowned, "Indeed. What would you have me do, my lord?"

"I am assigning you to pursue these wretched beings and to expunge them from the face of the universe," Creed briefed, "But I want you to spare their leader so we can try him for crimes against humanity and the Emperor. Lord Calgar and the Ultramarines 1st Company will be accompanying you."

Calgar nodded, "We have waited long to destroy the Children of Eden. Their history of foul, evil and unclean experimentation will die alongside them. "

"Commissar Plymouth has been relieved of his current duties and has been reassigned to you once again, General," Creed said, "He will be observing how smoothly this operation will go. And if necessary, he will take drastic actions to make sure it does so."

"Yes, my lord," Sturnn replied, feeling slight vehemence over being assigned a personal Commissar who could be ordered at any time to end his life if he screwed this up, but he did good at keeping his own irritancy to himself before the Lord Castellan.

"This will be your only chance to reclaim your lost honour, General," Calgar said, reminding him of his failure nearly a decade and a half ago, "Do you recount Lorn V?"

"Perfectly, Chapter-Master," Sturnn replied, eyes narrowed.

"Oh, and one more thing," Creed said, "If you should encounter any Lylatians during your mission…consider them expendable."

And with that Creed smiled, as did Calgar. This prompted Sturnn to produce his own grin, purely out of obligation.

"It will be done," Sturnn acknowledged.

Both Creed and Calgar nodded, where the Chapter-Master said, "I will be seeing you on Kew, where we will travel across the blackness that is space to the furry cesspool that is Lylat. If they know what is best for them, they will stay out of our way."

"Good luck to the both of you," Creed said, then cried out, "FOR THE EMPEROR!"

"FOR THE EMPEROR!" Sturnn and Calgar sounded off as one.

The holograms of both Creed and Calgar disappeared, where the lights switched back on in the conference room. Sturnn just stood there, comprehending what his new mission was. He couldn't help but shake his head slightly, looking at the ground.

"The Children of Eden?" he said to himself softly, "Why them, why now? After so long, why now?"

And with that, he turned on his heels and stepped out of the room, where he wasn't surprised to see Plymouth waiting for him, standing to attention. He saluted, where the general was quick to return the salute, before looking at the Commissar straight in the eye.

"I received word of my new assignment, General," Plymouth said, "I hope you don't mind."

Sturnn shook his head and surprisingly smirked, where he patted the commissar shoulder in a friendly manner, "Not at all, old friend.

"What are your orders, sir?"

The General crossed his arms and frowned once again, before exclaiming with total authority, "Spread word to the men of the 412th: We're going on a furry hunt!"

Plymouth's eyes widened in surprise, before he smiled and saluted again, "Right away, sir! It will be my honour!"

A quarter of an hour later all military personnel were running towards the parade grounds outside the base; dressed in full gear including flak jackets, backpacks and las-weaponry. Each and every one of those Guardsmen was hurried along by their sergeants, who each gripped their sabres and ran alongside their men, eager to get them before the General or otherwise face summary discipline, which had been always unpleasant.

"MOVE IT, YOU DOGS!" one sergeant was heard to boom out, "YOU WANT TO FACE THE GENERAL'S WRATH? THEN MOVE LIKE THE EMPEROR HAS GIVEN YOU PURPOSE!"

Soon ten thousand Guardsmen stood on the Imperial-emblem marked asphalt of the parade grounds outside the base, where they each stood to attention as they face the command centre's main balcony from where the General would address them. And the moment he stepped into view, accompanied by Plymouth and three other Cadian officers…

"GUARDSMEN! BEFORE GENERAL STURNN, SALUTE!" the officers accompanying the Guardsmen ordered.

…they saluted, where the officers and sergeants raised their sabres into the air. Sturnn smiled lightly, seeing how even after his failure back on Lorn V these men were still loyal towards him and saw him as one of the most valiant Imperial officers in mankind's long history. His smile then faded and he gave his trademark frown, where he then got down to business. He cleared his throat and spoke in his loud, gruff, authoritative voice

"Guardsmen of the Cadian 412th," Sturnn begun, "Highest servants of the Emperor of Mankind. He has once again called upon our services towards the continued survival and future of the Imperium. For he has entrusted us with a very special mission, one which may be our most greatest triumph in our regiment's history."

All Guardsmen looked up hopefully at the General, hanging on his every word.

'Nice opening, Sturnn,' Plymouth thought snidely, 'Couldn't have put it better myself.'

"As we speak, the Children of Eden are on the move. And of right now are slowly approaching the Lylat System. We have finally rooted these parasites from their holes and the time has now come to crush them for good, finally ending the menace of these…these…"

He narrowed his eyes.

"…sub-humans."

And with that every Guardsman cheered into the air, raising their lasguns high into the air, as well as pumping their fists towards the general. Sturnn raised his right arm from which held his storm bolter and fired into the air, silencing the Guardsmen.

"And if the populous of the Lylat System, civilian or soldier, were to help these traitors in anyway, we will make damn sure every single furry in that sector feels the Emperor's wrath. They will die…like the animals they are!"

The Guardsmen cheered once again, where this time Sturnn made no effort to silence the frenzied hordes.

"So prepare yourselves," Sturnn continued, "For in three days time, we once again GO TO WAR!"


	4. Chapter 3: Between Individuals

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_A/N: Okay, this is my first real attempt at developing relationships. Here goes…_

* * *

Chapter 3 – Between Individuals

* * *

Floating just near the edge of the system, at least a few miles from the planet Aquas was the Beltino Research Station #2, the new centre for Corneria's Research & Development ever since the last station was damaged beyond repair during the disastrous events of last year involving the Orks. Cornerian High Command didn't want to take chances with the location of the station near civilian population centres and the top-secret research they were conducting, so it was built just near the Lylatian borders, near one of the defence stations which protected Lylat from outside influences, namely the Imperium.

Like the station's namesake the research was headed up by Beltino Toad, Corneria's brightest mind, where he and his science team had been responsible for the destruction of the entire Aparoid race a year ago and made sure they would never come back. Now that Slippy Toad, the former member of Star Fox, had joined the team alongside his father Beltino, progress had increased tenfold, especially on projects involving aerodynamics.

All of this Slippy thought of and reminisced to himself as he strapped himself tightly into the cockpit of the new prototype fighter craft. He breathed deeply as the canopy slowly closed, sealing him in. He activated his HUD, which displayed on the canopy before him. He moved his hands forward towards the controls, as he narrowed his eyes as the hangar bay doors before him.

_Are you comfortable, son? _his communication interface asked him.

"As I'll ever be, dad," Slippy replied to the com, "Lets do this."

_Good luck out there, Slippy, _a feminine voice said, rather happily, _I'll be watching you ace this test with flying colours._

Slippy smiled warmly upon hearing that voice, "Thank you, Amanda. Appreciate it."

The fighter craft that Slippy was piloting looked remotely like an Arwing, only that it was slightly smaller and wider. What appeared to be plasma heavy cannons were situated on it's wings. Slippy tried his best to steady his mind, believing that nothing will go wrong and that this is just a simple test run.

_All personnel clear Hangar #2 immediately_, the P.A. announced_, Opening bays door._

The doors before Slippy and the fighter slowly opened to reveal space and a purple-coloured nebula. Slippy frowned and gripped the controls. He felt the locks around the fighter deactivate and his fighter jolt slightly.

"This is Slippy," he said, "Ready to deploy…now!"

At that the fighter was slingshoted forward through the narrow runway and into space, where Slippy was quick to regain control of the ship and pilot it towards the nebula, feeling the adrenaline pump through his system. He nodded as if convincingly as he piloted the craft. He knew he should feel the rush that was piloting once again, but something pricked at him from the back of his mind.

"Ok, dad," Slippy said, "What kind of moves do you want me to pull off while I'm out here?"

_Let's not be too hasty with the prototype, shall we? _Beltino said, _First_, _lets try some basic manoeuvres. Fly through these rings,_

Six silver training rings appeared in space; Slippy narrowed his eyes, focussing in as the targets appeared in his navigation computer. He headed towards them, where he begun to fly through each of them effortlessly, each one disappearing and a jingle sounded off from his computer as he flew through each of them. He didn't need to pull off any sharp turns or barrel rolls, as the rings situated wide apart from the other.

Another set of six rings appeared and was situated from one another as a zig-zag. This time Slippy tilted his fighter and slid through each one fluidly, reminding him of a situation he had once encountered in his days with Star Fox. It had involved quick use of his hands on the controls and with that knowledge he barrel-rolled through the last one in triumph.

_Very good, _Beltino said, _Now_ l_et's try some advanced manoeuvres._

Two training rings situated upon each other appeared before Slippy; he instantly knew what to do. He flew through the bottom ring, performed a loop, and flew through the other. Three more sets of rings appeared before him, situated apart from each other. Slippy sighed as he went through each ring, performing three separate barrel rolls through them.

_Slippy, you're amazing! _Amanda squealed with joy through the com, which Slippy swore almost blew out his eardrums, but only left a short ringing in his left ear.

Slippy grunted in pain slightly and he stuck in his finger in his ear, trying to rid himself of the ringing. He then chuckled awkwardly, "Thanks, Amanda."

He couldn't help but smile, hearing Amanda's voice which somewhat eased whatever it was that was bothering him. He then steered the ship back towards the space station, just to allow those in the control room to catch a glimpse of him. Beltino alongside a tall, purple coloured female frog who wore a yellow tie watched him fly before the station. The female smiled with happiness, seeing the love of her life in action right before them. Beltino smiled also, seeing her reaction towards Slippy's flawless piloting.

Another set of rings appeared, and this time they were situated side by side. Quickly remembering this scenario he flew through one and immediately pulled off a sharp U-turn and flew through the other. They both faded away and Slippy's computer beeped in triumph. He exhaled and relaxed in his seat, letting out a sharp 'phew'.

_Excellent, Slippy, _Beltino congratulated, before announcing, _Now lets test out the Bullfrog's weapon systems._

"Roger that," Slippy responded, feeling his trigger fingers begin to itch, "I feel the need to destroy something."

_You can do it, Slippy, _Amanda said with complete with support, _I know you can._

"So do I," Slippy replied, smiling slightly, "So sit back, relax and enjoy the show."

About a dozen fodder drones flew out of the hangars from the station, each one armed with a light laser blaster. They quickly surrounded the Bullfrog and they converged on him from all side and fired, where Slippy performed a barrel-rolled and deflected all of their blast. He then fired the Bullfrog's plasma lasers and instantly destroyed two drones. He barrel-rolled again, deflecting a few more blasts.

He then performed a loop and shook off three pursuing drones; he then fired and destroyed them. Suddenly, he felt a laser bolt strike the side of his fighter, causing him to frown in annoyance.

"Ah, stupid cheap drones," Slippy remarked, before he struck again and destroyed the offending craft, "Hey…!"

_What is the problem?_ Beltino asked, hints of concern evident.

"Doesn't this thing have a lock-on?" Slippy asked.

Before Beltino could answer the fighters swooped in again, Slippy did a sharp turn, and he fired again, destroying another three. He then did a U-turn to shake the remaining four fighters off his tail. He then loaded up one of his bombs and fired. It flew in their direction and detonated, sending them hurtling into oblivion.

_My goodness! _Beltino exclaimed was slight exasperation, _We definitely saw that one._

_All drones down, Slippy, _Amanda added, _Well done._

"I would've destroyed them sooner if the Bullfrog has some kind of a Lock-on system," Slippy replied as he steered the ship back towards the space station, "What gives?"

In the control room Amanda turned to Beltino as he watched the Bullfrog coming back towards the station. He took off his glasses and scratched himself between the eyes, thinking about what Slippy had just pointed out, which had really made him feel incredibly awkward.

"Well…er…" Beltino begun, "It was either the Lock-on or the heavy plasma lasers. Seeing how you are already a proficient enough pilot, I decided to just upgrade your firepower."

_Couldn't I have both?_ Slippy replied over the control room's coms, _That would make combat heck of a lot easier._

"Let us just say that there wasn't enough space for both," Beltino answered, "Besides, as you already know our weapons division's budget had just been cut..."

_Can you remind me once I get back? _Slippy asked, rolling his eyes, _I'm trying to pilot here._

"Oh," Beltino said forgetfully, putting his glasses back on, "Er…excuse me, then."

Slippy piloted the ship back into the hangar, slightly annoyed that his father almost drifted off talking about irrelevant issues once again and doing more than just answering the question. That was the only thing he hated about his dad, and that he never lets anything be simple. The hangar doors opened and allow him back in, where he landed it and the holding locks clicked into place.

The canopy opened and Slippy leapt out, his feet touching the floor. Immediately people in lab coats surrounded him. They begun to clap their hands in congratulations upon a successful test run, causing Slippy to smile and take a bow, clearly enjoying the attention.

"Thank you," Slippy said almost flamboyantly, "You've been a wonderful audience."

The door into the hangar opened to reveal a rather ecstatic Amanda, who ran towards Slippy and practically leapt into her arms, startling the frog. Slippy flushed red, which Amanda giggled at his reaction and got off him, where she just threw her arms around his neck.

"I knew the Bullfrog would be a success," Amanda said, "I just knew it. I also knew you…"

She narrowed her eyes and smiled, almost seductively.

"…would be the one to prove it to universe."

Slippy smiled big and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "Well…er…you're welcome."

They shared a quick kiss before stepping out of the hangar and towards the lift, hand in hand. They headed up to the control room, all the while they thought of each other and how much they had made each other happy in the time they had spent together, which was nearly two years. They glanced over at each other and smiled… the tender moment then came to a close when the doors opened to reveal the interior of the control room.

They let go of each other as they stepped out of the lift and into control, which was situated like a control tower from a starport, with technicians at work on the consoles and monitoring the research and the station's integrity. Beltino was quick to greet both Slippy and Amanda. He embraced Slippy, who was once again startled, and where Amanda was amused at seeing the both of them.

"The Bullfrog Mark-II is a complete success," Beltino said happily as he let go of Slippy, "Once again, you've made me proud, son."

"Gee, thanks dad," Slippy said, where one could tell he didn't sound at all interested.

Beltino looked questioningly at Slippy, "Is something troubling you, Slippy?"

Slippy sighed, "Something's been bothering me for quite a while."

"Why don't we talk about it somewhere more…appropriate?" Beltino offered.

Slippy nodded as he, Amanda and Beltino stepped out of the control room and into the elevator, where Amanda pressed for the 'Nature Walk' level of the station, which was all the way at the bottom. The elevator music that played as they went down helped to ease the tension in the atmosphere, and allowed their minds to settle, especially Slippy

They stepped out of the lift once it had stopped. The entire level was a huge, non-simulated garden area, with trees and plants of different kinds as well as a small waterfall that ended at a lake. Tranquil music played softly out of the speakers built into the roof which relaxed Slippy's nerves completely, but he knew that it wouldn't last once he spilled his guts to his father and girlfriend.

Amanda smiled, "I love this place. It was wonderful that you decided to spare a single floor for this."

"Yes, well," Beltino begun, "The stress which comes from researching the anomalies of the universe for the good of Lylat does tend to put some strain on people. I do hope…"

He looked over at Slippy.

"…this isn't the case for you, Slippy."

Slippy shook his head, "No. It's something else. Something…a lot more troubling."

They walked towards a couple of benches. Slippy and Amanda sat down together whilst Beltino sat separately on the other, sighing as he parked himself on the bench. He looked closely at Slippy, adjusting his glasses.

"What's been bothering you, Slip?" Amanda asked, holding him by the hands.

Slippy shuddered and answered, "Papetoon."

Beltino's eyebrows raised questioningly, "Papetoon, Slippy?"

Slippy exhaled and stood up from the bench, letting go of Amanda's hands. He scratched the back of his head, trying to find the appropriate words to explain himself. Ever since the Forces of Disorder had tried to take over the Lylat System using the Venomians as pawn, he had been haunted by his experience with the ruinous powers of Chaos. The images of all those dead and ritually mutilated people, the daemons coming out of the Chaos Gate from the Immaterium and the Imperial intervention and destruction of the planet were burned behind his eyes.

And also, he couldn't help but think of **_him_**.

He sighed, "I can't forget what happened on that day, you guys. It…like…haunts me. I always seem to believe that some day now that same evil will come back and wipe us all out."

Beltino nodded, "That's understandable. The events of Papetoon were traumatising to all of us..."

He then narrowed his eyes in vehemence.

"…the humans had said they'd leave us alone, not destroy another one of our worlds. Especially one as unique and ancient as Papetoon, that planet could have explained the origins of our species."

Slippy shook his head, "Dad, I meant the Forces of Chaos."

Amanda's eyes widened, "C…Chaos?"

Slippy turned to the both of them, "Do you remember Jacques Mortensen, the Space Marine?"

Amanda and Beltino nodded, where the older frog chuckled softly, "Ah yes, the one Lylat has dubbed 'The Only Good Human.' What about him, son?"

"He was the only one who knew how to fight Chaos on it's own ground, and to stand against those freaks and whatever else that threatened Lylat," Slippy continued, "Somehow, I feel that we're all less secure now that he's gone."

Amanda stood up and put a hand comfortingly on Slippy's shoulder, "Maybe you just miss him, Slippy."

"Huh?"

"From what you've told us, he sounded like a great guy," Amanda continued, "Weren't you two almost like brothers?"

Slippy smiled a bit, "He thought of me and other guys like that. Well…"

He rolled his eyes a bit.

"…I don't know if he felt that about Falco, and I wouldn't bet two cents that he felt something more for Krystal. Now those two were the closest. Maybe you're right, Amanda…"

He grasped her hand gently.

"…maybe I do miss the big lug."

Beltino put his hand on his son's other shoulder, persuading him to sit back down, "And besides, I think we'd be more than adequate to protect ourselves if Lylat were ever to come against anything hostile."

"You think so?" Slippy asked, brightened up.

Beltino smiled, "Trust me, son. If thousands of years of war and conflict has taught us anything, it's that we can survive anything."

----------

General Peppy Hare, supreme commander of Corneria's military, sat by himself in the pitch black war room of the Cornerian Central Command headquarters, where he silently watched war footage of what appeared to be Imperial Space Marines in conflict against Cornerian soldiers. With the image projected on the screen, he watched as the Cornerian's were literally cut to pieces by the Marines' blades in the only recorded conflict the Imperium and Lylat had ever fought against each other.

Peppy shook his head softly, 'So many lives in so few hours. The result: The situation we are in all now.'

The footage was that of the **_Battle of Kew_**, a vicious border dispute some 6,000 years earlier, which was also Lylat's first encounter with the humans. The premise was simple: One side of the planet was behind Imperial lines, while the other was under the control of the Cornerian military. Corneria had respectfully requested that they annexe the planet from the Imperium, seeing how the majority of it was behind Lylatian borders. The Imperium responded by deploying the Cadian 12th to 'politely persuade' the Lylatian citizens there to leave.

The Cornerian General of that time, who didn't know the full extent of the Imperium's might, took this as an act of war against a race of supposedly skinned-monkeys and ordered Kew's military to retaliate. At first the Cornerian's superior firepower compared to the mere lasguns, hellguns and tanks of the Imperials managed to swerve the battle in their favour…for at least a few hours anyway. The tables were soon turned as the Space Marines of the **_Blood Ravens _**chapter dropped from the sky and completely obliterated the Cornerian army presence, while in orbit above the planet the Imperial Navy had set the Cornerian starships literally ablaze.

Millions of Cornerian lives would have been loss if not for the sharp negotiations of Peppy's ancestor, who had announced that they were ignorant of the Imperium's power and begged for forgiveness, and the Lords of Terra agreed. They offered to spare Corneria if the Lylat System were to reduce it's borders to only a few dozen planets and allowed them to take over the planets that would no longer be part of the system. And after seeing the might of the Space Marines and the Imperial Navy, the Cornerian negotiators caved in.

And so the Lylat/Imperium truce was born. Which for 6,000 years it was the only thing that kept the humans from coming in and finishing the Lylat System. The Cornerian's knew that humanity feared Lylat, seeing how their own long-range weapon systems could wipe out it's own planets and that even the Space Marines themselves would be slow to respond until it's too late. That was almost demonstrated on Papetoon with the **_doomsday cannon_** that Andrew Oikonny and Chaos together built, which would have rendered every planet in it's firing direction, up to Holy Terra, to lifeless husks.

And that would have meant the end of the Lylat System for sure.

Ever since Peppy had taken over Pepper as the head of Corneria's military might, he had been studying the Imperial ways of war, somehow convinced that one day they would have to stand up against the near-invincible force that was humanity. He knew that the Imperium had weaknesses, and had spent almost most of his time in office trying to find out what they were.

'Everything has a weak point,' the old hare thought, 'Krystal said so herself. If only we knew what makes humanity tick, then we'll be ready for em'.'

His intercom suddenly beeped, shocking him out of his trance. He reached for the remote to the projector and pressed STOP, before he pressed TALK on the intercom, which was near him on the large desk.

"Yes?" Peppy said.

_Pardon me general, sir, _the other line said, _But you have a incoming call._

"Who is it?" Peppy replied.

_Your daughter Lucy Hare, sir._

Peppy's eyes widened upon hearing that name, whose voice he hadn't heard in a long time. He smiled pleasantly to himself.

"Patch it through to the war room," Peppy ordered.

_Yes sir._

The intercom was turned off, where a few seconds later a holographic image of the smiling face of a 23-year-old female rabbit appeared in the centre of the table. She smiled down at Peppy, who was still smiling, but this time directing it towards her.

"Hello, Lucy," Peppy greeted.

_Hi, dad,_ Lucy replied happily, _How is the supreme commander of the Cornerian Defence Force doing?_

Peppy chuckled at knowing her game, "He's doing fine, thank you. And how is the Astrophysics teacher of the Academy at Fortuna handling herself?"

_Can't complain, _Lucy replied, before she too laughed slightly.

Father and daughter looked in each other's eyes for a few seconds, content in just enjoying one another's company, even if there they hundreds of light years away from each other. Peppy saw how she looked like her mother and his wife, Vivian, whose face had always kept his spirits up after her unfortunate demise to illness years ago.

Lucy smile faltered, she shook her head gently, _I'm sorry it's been so long, dad. Things have been rough here at the Academy, especially after…_

She narrowed her eyes and exhaled.

…_You-know-what._

Peppy nodded, "Yes, I know. Is it the rush of more people signing up to take the fight to the humans, or is it the mass resignations of many academy-goers wanting to spare themselves the horror or fighting them, and whatever else that lies out Lylat."

_A little bit of 'A' and 'B' unfortunately', _Lucy replied, _And to tell the truth, that's what I wanted to talk to you about._

"What about? The Imperium"

_I really have to know, dad, _Lucy continued, starting to sound a bit uncomfortable with herself, _Now that you're running the show, do you plan on doing anything if the human's decide to pay another 'visit' here?_

"I knew this wasn't just a social call," Peppy muttered as he downcast his eyes, before he continued, "I wouldn't count them coming back here any time soon. You don't need to worry your head over these things. If I feel that you can play any part in this, I'll let you know. But for now…"

His narrowed eyes met Lucy's.

"…anything we plan on defending ourselves against the Imperium is currently classified. I hope you understand, Lucy dear."

Lucy mouth was left agape for a second, before she nodded and said, _Ok dad. I…I hope I didn't impose on you._

Peppy shook his head, "Never. But I am curious as to why you have taken an interest in the subject."

The younger rabbit raised her eyes a bit, before replying, _I guess it's just a random thought. I figured I'd think of something else besides aerodynamics, and humanity was next to pop into my mind. You have to admit though…_

She smiled gently.

…_they are an interesting species of mammals, do you think?_

Peppy smiled as well, happy that the conversation was starting to become pleasant, "Yeah. The humans are an interesting breed of warm-blooded creatures."

He then downcast his eyes again as he was instantly reminded of one of those creatures. The only one he believed he would have ever been close to.

"Especially Jacques Mortensen. He was the pick of the bunch."

Lucy queered her eyebrows, _You mean 'The Only Good Human?'_

"Is that what we're calling him nowadays?" Peppy chuckled softly, "There's bound to be more people like him around. We just need them to show themselves to us."

Amanda nodded from her end of the line, as she understood what Peppy meant. She then looked off screen somewhere, else if someone was calling out to her. She nodded and turned back to Peppy, where she smiled gently.

_Well, it's been nice talking to you again_, Lucy said, _I promise to come visit as soon as I can._

"I'll be looking to then, darling," Peppy responded. He then smiled and concluded, "Goodbye, Lucy."

_Daddy._

Lucy's image disappeared as the call ended. Peppy's smile faded from his face, where he was sad at seeing her go. He hated, more than anything, his long-distant relationship with his daughter. She being a teacher at the Academy on Fichina and him being the General of the Cornerian army had somewhat complicated their relationship, with Lucy having an evident dislike of violence and the military.

Peppy shook her head, 'Don't think like that, old man. She loves you, and always will.'

The intercom beeped again, which annoyed Peppy, causing him to be hesitant to answer it again; not wanting to be distracted form his thoughts.

"Yes?"

_Sir, we are picking up the Great Fox II on radar, heading towards Corneria._

Peppy's eyes widened, where once again he felt his spirits rise once again. He smiled.

"How long till they arrive here?"

----------

With Fox looking out through the bridge window from his seat, the Great Fox slowly headed towards Corneria, the planet slowly becoming bigger with their approach. Fox smiled, knowing it been a while sense he saw his place of birth and the centre of Lylat. The bridge doors opened where Krystal stepped into the bridge.

"It's high time we arrived at Corneria, Fox," she said as she stepped over to Fox "We're down to our last box of supplies."

Fox nodded, "That's exactly why we're here."

Krystal smiled and leaned in to softly kiss Fox; he was quick to return it and her smile. Unfortunately, that was when Falco and ROB decided to make themselves known as well. Falco frowned slightly at seeing the both of them together, which somehow would always make him sick to the stomach.

"Hey!" Falco exclaimed, "What'd I say about playing tonsil-hockey around me?"

Fox rolled his eyes as they pulled back, Falco once again breaking the mood, "Sorry…I'm sure, Falco."

Falco smirked, "Getting jiggy already costed our mechanical genius, and I'm not eager to see the team break up anytime soon."

Krystal frowned, "Thanks for your concern, Falco."

"Just performing my patriotic duty, Krys."

Falco's smile faltered once ROB returned to his normal place behind a console on the bridge. It was right there and then when he first put his hands on the keyboard when suddenly that familiar beeping was heard.

"Incoming transmission from Cornerian command," ROB announced in his usual cold, metallic voice, "General Hare on standby."

"Hey, the old man's come to give us a warm welcome," Falco chided, "How nice of him."

Fox silenced him with a glare, before Peppy's image appeared on the hologram projector. Fox looked up at his image with a smile, as did Krystal. The vulpine was glad to see his mentor once again, and that he was now the general of the Cornerian army appeared to be a testament to his years of experience, especially in leadership.

_Hello you guys_, Peppy begun with a smile, _It's great to see you again._

"Thanks Peppy," Fox replied, before his mind snapped and he stuttered, "Er…I mean…thank you, General Hare, sir."

Falco and Krystal looked at Fox slyly, before Peppy chuckled, _There's no need for that, Fox._

Fox scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes in slight embarrassment, "Oh…er…my mistake, then."

_So what brings you to Corneria? _Peppy asked.

"Supply run," Falco responded, "I don't about these lovebirds here, but I'm getting sick of eating the same old breakfast gloop every morning. You don't mind?"

_Not at all, _Peppy said, _I figured you were coming here because of that familiar occasion._

"What is that?" Krystal queried.

Peppy queered his eyebrows in confusion, _Have you forgotten already? It's the celebrations over the 1st Anniversary of Corneria's victory against the Aparoids. I figured you'd come to be the guests of honour._

Fox's eyes widened, "Ah…jeez. Is that right? I… we'd nearly forgot."

Peppy smiled, _Relax, Fox. The important thing is that you're here. Do you plan on staying here long?_

Fox turned to Falco and Krystal, avian crossed his arms and shrugged, while Krystal smiled lightly. Fox smiled and turned back towards Peppy, "I think we'll stick around, Peppy."

_Good for you, Star Fox, _Peppy said, _The celebrations starts tomorrow, so I think it's best if you settled in until then. May I suggest…The Union?_

Falco's eyes widened, "The Union? That swanky joint?"

The Resort Union of Corneria was Lylat's only Five-Star luxurious pad on this corner of the system. Usually reserved for the elites of society, it was possibly the classiest, luxurious spot in the whole of the system you would ever go to. Falco figured it was about time he put his feet up for a least a couple of days by a pool, which was better than sticking around on this floating coffin. Fox and Krystal shared the same thoughts.

"That will do nicely for us, General," Krystal said, "Thank you."

_My pleasure, _Peppy replied, _I'll be seeing you soon, then._

"Looking forward to it," Fox said, "Star Fox out!"

Peppy's image disappeared, leaving a circle of rather happy faces. Fox sat down, stretched his feet out over the console, and stretched his arms forward where he heaved a sigh. Krystal and Falco turned to him, amused.

"I never thought I'd say this," Fox said as he crossed his arms and smiled softly, "But I think we're way overdue for a vacation."

"You're damn right about that, Foxy," Falco laughed, "And no better place to spend the beginning of it at the Union, eh?"

Krystal smiled as well, "Yes, I agree with that."

"Too bad about Slippy, though," Falco added, "Stuck near the other side of the system. That sucker would have enjoyed this."

Fox shrugged, "Yeah, he would. ROB…"

"Online," ROB sounded off, "ROB MK-III running at full capacity and awaiting instructions."

"Set course for the Union Resort, full throttle."

"Affirmative."

The Great Fox accelerated towards Corneria, where upon nearing the planet they passed by the Beltino Orbital Gate, the key instrument in the destruction of the Aparoids that year ago. Once they had gone through and they realised it, they couldn't believe that they had been transported outside the Lylat System and into possible hostile territory.

It was pure luck that Imperium or any other hostile power did not notice them as they had made their way back to Lylat, and past the border defences. Fox sighed, knowing that was the only time they had ever left the safety of the system.

"I can't believe that gate is still operational," Krystal pointed out, looking out the main window and watching it, "I thought they would have dissembled it the moment the Aparoids were destroyed. It doesn't make any sense."

"Try saying that to Father Toad," Falco said, "That guy's just so proud of that piece of junk."

Fox nodded in agreement, just as the Great Fox begun it's descent down towards the planet and through the atmosphere, the heat grazing against the hull of the mothership. A minute later they had cleared the atmosphere and were flying over green, fertile farmland and lush rolling hills, where the technologically advanced capital of the planet known as Corneria City could be seen in the distance.

When they got closer they could see that the city had practically come to life. The monorail system was completely at work, people in their hundreds walked the footpaths and strolled in the parks, most being families, and vehicles of different kinds and brands drove down the highways and roads. Massive colourful posters were up on the tallest buildings, informing all of the celebrations that would take place over the next couple of days.

Victory Day 

_Octorber 21st – 26th_

_2456_

Celebrate in your BILLIONS 

"When the hell was the last time C.C. was like this?" Falco remarked, "I figured it was always a ghost town, even after the Aparoids carked it."

"And that's what gave these people hope, Falco," Krystal said, "That we can survive these troubled times."

Fox looked at her confused, "What troubled times, Krys?"

The communications suddenly beeped, where ROB answered the call.

"Transmission from Corneria City Starport Authority."

_Hello Star Fox, _the other line said, _Great of you to come along for the celebrations, and as this planet's guest of honour._

Fox smiled, "Thanks, Authority.

_You may dock your ship at Hangar #33. Transportation is ready to take you to the Union, which eagerly awaits your arrival._

"That's good news," Falco said, then whispered to Fox, "The rent-a-cars here are second rate pieces of crap."

Fox rolled his eyes slightly and chuckled slightly before he answered, "Thanks you, Authority. We're looking forward to it. Star Fox out."

The Great Fox accelerated towards the city and headed towards the northern edge of it where the massive star port was located. The ship was soon taken controlled of by the port's tractor beam systems, which directed it towards Hangar #33. The roof of the hangar opened up, and the Great Fox slowly descended into it.

Looking out from the main window on the bridge Fox, Falco and Krystal could see that they were parked alongside other capital cruisers, where maintenance teams were hard at work on each ship, as were the other hangar staff who went on their duties, even during the imminent celebrations. Fox sighed gently.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad to be back here on Corneria," Fox said.

"I second that, Foxy," Falco added.

Krystal nodded, "It's good to be back on solid ground again."

Fox smiled slightly, before he turned to ROB, "You mind staying here and holding the fort?"

"Affirmative," ROB replied, "I will stay here and maintain the ship. I will alert you of any discretion that may occur in your absence."

"Thanks, ROB," Fox said, patting the robot on the shoulder, "C'mon, you guys. Much needed R & R awaits."

As they left the bridge Falco chided as he stretched his arms behind his head, "Thank whoever really runs this universe for that."

----------

Krystal sighed as they were soon driven through the busy streets of Corneria on a bus, looking out the window towards what one would expect from a city preparing itself for a massive parade. Fox sat beside her, where he closed his eyes and savoured what little the air conditioning in the bus was generating. On this rare hot day on Corneria, the bus was like an oven. And Falco was the first to point it out.

"How much is are the refreshments?" Falco called out to the driver.

"Eight credits for a soda."

"Shit, never mind then. I'm happy to just melt, thank you very much."

Both Fox and Krystal giggled slightly, where Fox took her hand in his and they smiled lightly at each other, enjoying each other's company, which somewhat distracted Krystal from what once again plagued her mind.

Her psychedelic experiences those two months ago.

'I'll tell him tonight,' she decided mentally, 'I've had enough of keeping these things to myself.'

Nearly twenty minutes later and with bags in hand, they stepped through the entryway into the Union and the main plaza; in the middle was the massive hotel. The resort was almost like a little town, complete with shops, parks, swimming plazas, restaurants, bars and playgrounds. It was all situated from the city on another island, connected to by a long bridge, Falco whistled sharply in amusement; Fox and Krystal were inclined to agree with his reaction towards what awaited them.

"I think I know why they put all this on a separate island half-a-click from C.C.," Falco said.

"Whys that?" Krystal asked.

"Just so that travelling for about twenty minutes in a moving Turkish sauna we get to appreciate this a helluva more," Falco replied, smiling.

Fox nodded and returned the smile as they walked down the path through the gates, "Damn right."

As they walked down the footpath leading through the plaza and towards the hotel, where Fox noticed the massive size of the hotel, which appeared to be going up into the clouds. Which was quite understandable, seeing how it's twenty stories up and Fox was relieved to have gotten over vertigo when he was twelve.

The automated doors of the hotel slid open and they stepped in, the air-conditioning and tranquil music greeting them as they entered the lobby, a rather elaborate fountain was set up in the centre of the room which drew their immediate attention. They shuffled towards the front desk, the male Alsatian receptionist quickly got of the phone and greeted them with a smile.

"Star Fox, I presume?" the receptionist asked, beaming.

"Yeah," Fox replied.

"Welcome to the Union, sirs," the receptionist said, then turned to Krystal, "Ma'am."

Krystal nodded with a smile.

"I just received explicit instructions from General Hare himself to make sure you are immediately settled in, in time for tomorrow," the receptionist said, "And that all expenses have already been paid for."

"Sweet," Falco cried.

The receptionist reached behind him and took two keys off the wall, where he put them on the desk.

"Falco Lombardi, Room #45," the receptionist.

Falco looked disappointed, as he had wanted the President's Suite. Nevertheless he took the key and said, "Gee thinks."

"And for Fox McCloud and Krystal, I'll assume…"

He smiled slyly.

"…you'll be wanting Twin-Share."

Fox and Krystal eyes widened, they then stared at one another questioningly. They then turned back to the receptionist, eyes narrowed. The Alsatian felt them stare right through him and completely chill his blood.

"No thank you," Krystal said firmly, "We prefer separate suites."

The receptionist chuckled nervously, "You're the boss."

He then took the Twin-share key and produced two separate keys. Fox and Krystal accepted them without question and without criticism.

"Rooms #35 and #32. Enjoy your stay."

"Thanks," Fox replied, noting that the receptionist was eager to keep them close together.

A couple of bellhops appeared and grabbed their bags and they marched towards the elevators, they noticed the receptionist watch them go, albeit with slight disappointment. Krystal chuckled inwardly, realising what the receptionist had been playing at, while Fox frowned slightly and rolled his eyes just as they all stepped into the lift.

'Perverted desk jockey,' he thought.

_I second that, Fox,_ Krystal telepathically relayed to him, amusingly.

----------

Later on Falco was taking a stroll through the Union's plaza, taking in the sights and sounds of the plaza just as Lylat's star and main source of light and heat Solar was about to disappear from the sky. Fox and Krystal had decided to just remain indoors, wanting to rest themselves up for tomorrow. Falco agreed, believing that they really wanted some privacy. He wished that Krystal didn't read his mind and his dirty thoughts about the both of them, and the mean glare he received just as he passed Krystal towards the elevator expelled that theory of privacy.

He noticed families enjoying themselves as they accessed are many mostly family friendly facilities, except this dingy looking old-style saloon way at the back of the Union. Feeling lucky, Falco strolled into the saloon, pushing the swinging doors aside. He eyed the many different types of criminal lowlife seated around the joint where he sighed, hoping that he wouldn't have had to run into any anytime soon, especially at a resort. He noticed several heads looking up from their drinks and their playing cards and focussed on him.

Falco smirked and said, "Hey a bird walking into a saloon. What a big surprise."

He stepped over towards the bar, sitting down on the nearest swivel seat and focussed on the rhinoceros barkeep.

"Gimme' a beer," Falco said.

The barkeep frowned, "Got any money, birdy?"

Falco reached into his wallet and pulled out a ten and he slapped it onto the counter. The barkeep quickly changed his tone as he snapped to attention and took the bill.

"Beer's comin' right up," the barkeep said with a smile and reached for the fridge, where he handed a brew to Falco.

The avian popped the lid of it and immediately took a swig, where he sighed lightly and wiped his mouth, where he had almost forgotten what Cornerian Premium Draft tasted like. He had promised the team he wouldn't taste another drop of alcohol as long as he was still in the air, but now that the team faced eventual dissolution, it didn't matter that much.

Unknowing to him the four sinister leather-wearing gangster types sitting at the table at the far back of the saloon were all staring daggers at the blue avian, where the biggest of them, a Rottweiler, slowly slid his bowie knife from it's leather sheath.

"Well if isn't Lombardi himself," the Rottweiler said as he gripped his knife in his left hand, "How long as it been, you guys?"

"Er…ten years boss," a smaller Chihuaha responded.

The bulldog frowned and snorted, "Too fuckin' long."

He was about to stand up from his seat when he and his compatriots noticed someone else push the doors open into the saloon. The bulldog narrowed his eyes, smiled, and sat back down, where he still held his knife, which he kept from sight underneath the table.

"Well, what do you know?" the Labrador gang member said slyly, "She comes back from the dead as well."

That 'someone' was Katt Monroe, who was quite surprised to see Falco with his back to her as he sat at the bar, drinking a brew. She smiled and sat one seat away from him. He didn't seem to notice her. The barkeep was quick to greet the feline.

"Good evening, young lady. What'll it be?"

Falco was about to take another sip of his beer when he heard that familiar voice. He turned his head toward her and sat his beer down.

"A root beer, please," Katt responded smugly.

"Coming right up."

The barkeep turned towards the drinks fridge; Katt immediately noticed Fox looking her way, where she smiled lightly, just as the barkeep placed her drink before her. Just as she was about to reach for her wallet…

"Put that on my tab, will ya' horns?" Falco said.

The barkeep turned him suddenly and blinked confusingly, then looked at Katt with a questioned frown. He rolled his eyes towards him, where Katt nodded. The barkeep shrugged and attended to his next customer. Katt rolled her seat towards the avian.

"Thanks," Katt said, taking a sip of her root beer.

"Anytime," Falco replied smirkingly.

Katt moved closer to Falco, hwere the both of them say side by side at the bar, where the both of them didn't say a word and spent the next minute drinking their beers, contemplating what to say to one another and end the distance between them.

Falco sighed and broke the silence, "Sorry it's been a while, Katt. I've been busy trying to rethink my lifestyle."

"What a coincidence," Katt said, "I've been thinking about a career change as well. Ever since Oikonny kicked the bucket, work's been few and far behind."

"Heh, don't I know that."

Falco turned fully towards her, swivelling his seat to face her. He moved his eyes up and down her body, fully studying her. Katt did the exact same thing, her eyes going over his slightly toned frame wrapped in a red flight suit. The both of them felt their cheeks burn slightly, but they quickly shrugged these feelings away.

"You look well," Katt said, "Working out?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Falco smirked, "You?"

Katt nodded appreciatively, then remarked, "I'm surprised to see you at a place like this. Finally decided to put your feet up for once?"

He chuckled, "Heh, yeah. We're 'guests of honour' in time for the celebrations tomorrow."

Katt smiled, "No surprise. You did put the Aparoids in their place. You should feel like on top of the world."

Falco narrowed his eyes and looked at her tiredly, "Should I?"

Her smile faltered, where a softer look graced her face, "Wrong thing to say?"

Falco grunted slightly in acknowledgment and said cynically, "Somehow being paraded down Main Street with confetti and flyers sticking to my feathers doesn't appeal to me. Somehow it really just doesn't"

"Something's bothering you, Falco?"

"Hey, you noticed," Falco uttered, "I bet you can guess what exactly is bothering me."

Katt was about to reply when suddenly she noticed a pack of canines consisting of a Rottweiler, Labrador, Chihuaha and a Bulldog; getting up from their table at the back of the saloon, one of which was holding a knife. Her eyes widened and he gasped, where Falco looked surprised.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Behind you," Katt replied nervously, "It's Johns."

Falco's eyes lit up in interest, before he slowly and calmly turned around to see the pack slowly walking towards the bar. The Rottweiler had a look which could make anyone's hair stand on end from fear. But the avian just smiled and took another sip of his beer, which once again surprised Katt through her calmness.

The Rottweiler crossed his arms, where he shoved aside some other patron who fell to the ground in a heap, spilling beer all over the floor. He smiled evilly, "Well, if isn't the Blue Streak himself."

"Hi Johns," Falco said calmly, "Still wearing leather in space, I see? Surprised it doesn't chaff you like Hell."

Johns frowned, "Real funny, Lombardi. Or should I say…not funny."

"Your beak's the worst thing about you, asshole," the Bulldog snapped gruffly, "If I were you I keep it shut."

Falco's smile faded from his face, where he could sense Katt hovering behind him, slightly afraid. He crossed his arms as well as he stood before the gang of canines, feeling all eyes in the saloon focus on them, slightly in anticipation of any violence that was bound to happen.

"What do you want, Johns?" Falco stated, "I paid you off ten years ago and I was positive that was the end of it."

Johns shook his head slowly, "You money you handed over was marked. Ten million credits that just happened to each have a homing bug in each one. The authorities swooped in…"

He snapped his fingers.

"…like that. We barely managed to bail out of here, and empty handed may I add."

"Well I'm sorry to hear that," Falco sneered, "It was either that or Pepper would have had me digging tank ditches on Katina for the rest of my life. Guess what I picked?"

Both the feline and the avian could see the fire starting to brew in the Rottweilers eyes. He stepped closer towards them. As they stepped back some Falco saw that the Bulldog pulled out a blaster, while the Chihuaha a switchblade. The Labrador just smirked as he revealed he was wearing knuckledusters, and was eager to use them.

"You'll be drinking your food through a straw for the rest of your days unless I get what I want right now?" Johns threatened.

"What's that?" Falco asked.

The Chihuaha smiled and glanced over at Katt, where she frowned back at him.

"That tasty feline of yours," the Chihuaha said, "She looks good."

Katt's eye widened in surprised, before he narrowed them and asked, "Up yours, shorty."

"Watch your mouth, bitch!" Johns exclaimed, before he sneered, "Why are you hanging around this loser for…ARGH!"

The Rottweiler suddenly felt Falco's smash his beer bottle across his face and send him onto the floor. He then drop kicked the blaster out of the Bulldog's hands and pummelled his face with his fists before tripping him up and he landed on the nearest table, breaking it in half and spilling playing chips and cards everywhere. The Chihuaha shrieked and lunged with his switchblade, where Falco grabbed him by the arms and flipped him over himself; he landed before Katt, who glared down at the short hairless mutt and kicked him across the face.

Only left was the Labrador, who just stood his ground and put his fists up. Falco sighed and pulled out his blaster and placed the barrel at the thug's head. The Labrador's pupils diluted and he slowly put his fists down.

Falco smirked, "Yeah, I thought so."

He then nudged his head towards the exit, the Labrador took the hint and ran out the saloon, with literally his tail between his legs. Blaster still in hand, Falco looked down at a semi-conscious Johns, who had pieces of beer bottle stuck to his face. Instead of giving a smirk, he just looked bitter as he thought about their common history.

The guys who had just tried to stick Falco were part of the gang that he and Katt were part of a decade ago. Originally a racing outfit, Johns had wanted to move it in other directions, namely crime that pays well, like smuggling. At first Falco and Katt had liked that idea, but during their first operation the Cornerian army apprehended the both of them.

They were given an ultimatum. Ten years hard labour on Katina or betray their fellow gang members. They closet the latter, and ended up regretting it ever since. It was also one of the factors which kept them apart and seeking a romantic relationship, though they were good at keeping it inside them and looking like it didn't bother them.

But now…

"You waited ten years to get back at me, only to be lying flat on your back?" Falco queried, then sneered again, "Pathetic."

He then reached into his wallet and pulled out a hundred, where he let it float slowly down towards Johns' large belly. He then turned toward the barkeep, pulled out a couple of hundreds, and slapped them onto the bar.

"Sorry about the mess."

The barkeep smiled and took the money, "That'll make broken table number 43. Goddamn this old-styled bar."

----------

Soon Falco and Katt were walking shoulder in shoulder along the park footpath, the stars and the moon shined down upon the couple, who had been silent ever since Falco knocked that chauvinist of a Rottweiler down on his back. Katt noticed that Falco's eyes focussed upwards into the sky, where she smiled lightly.

"Hey Falco," she begun.

"Hmm?" Falco huffed lightly, moving his eyes towards her.

"Thanks for taking care of those mutts back there," Katt said, "God knows what they would have done."

Falco smirked and looked fully at him, "Heh, nobody talks to my girl like that and leaves without a broken jaw."

Katt's eyes widened in surprised, before she too smirked, "What makes you think I'm your girl?"

"I don't think," Falco grinned, "I know, babe."

"Falco."

Katt frowned, then giggled and playfully punched him in the arm, the avian pushed her slightly, only be shoved back by the feline, who laughed slightly. Falco retaliated with a sharp kiss to the mouth, where they both held it for a few seconds…only to pull back once they had realised what they were doing. They both looked at one another in shock.

"Er…Falco?"

"Katt?'

"What did we just do?"

Falco looked confused, "We just kissed. Why?"

Katt looked at him, slightly sad looking, "I know that. Why now?"

Falco frowned, quickly realising what she was getting out. How that they had never displayed affection for another during their time spent together as 'more than friends.' It was never possible, since one way or another they were in conflict. Whether it was against rival space gangs or against Andross' rebel forces, they were always separated and trapped within the hulls of their fighters.

Falco and Katt remembered that when they had first met one another, they couldn't stand each other. But through their long forgotten years together and the trials they faced what they felt for each other was blossoming romance and love. But they never expressed it towards one another. And that fact there was also Falco's cynical, previously selfish ego and (to him) Katt's overly annoying flirting nature didn't help one bit.

But now, as they realised, they finally had their chance to reveal what they truly thought of one another.

"Oh, don't start," Falco said, "You've always been after my tail feather, and now I'm returning the favour."

Katt's face softened, "Yeah, but why now?"

Falco sighed and looked straight ahead down the winding park footpath, "Let's just say I don't have much to worry…wait…make that **_anything_** to worry about any more."

Katt's eyes widened, "You mean…?"

Falco nodded, his eyes softened as the both of them stared into each other's eyes, "Yeah. I'm finally gonna cut the crap for good."

Katt was motionless for a few seconds, before she too smiled and they leaned in to kiss one another deeply. She felt her heart sour within her chest as the one she loved was finally returning his feelings. To her it didn't matter that it took this long for him to finally admit his feelings for her. Falco for once was glad that there wasn't any more conflict in this system. It gave him time to focus on the things that really mattered.

Her.

When they finally pulled back for air, Katt smiled and tapped on the beak, where Falco smirked and lifted her off his feet. She giggled slightly, the both of them not minding that they were in public, even at this time of night.

"So what do we do now?" Katt asked teasingly.

Still smirking, Falco asked, "I can think of a thousand things to do now. But not here."

"Yours or mine?"

"How about mine?"

"That'll work."

----------

Later that night, Fox was slumped all over the couch as he flicked through the channels of his room's widescreen television set. He yawned as he realised that every one of the 450 channels all over Lylat had the same, sad thing…Victory Day, even the Cooking Channels and the Kiddie's channels. Realising he wasn't going to come across anything good he just flicked the set off and tossed the remote behind him onto the bed.

He looked over at the clock on the wall…

'Ten-thirty,' he thought, 'Better turn in and get ready for the screaming masses when we're paraded down Main Street in the morning.'

He got up and drew the window curtains, before he tucked his fingers under the bands of his shirt and pulled it off. As he was about to reach for his pants, someone knocked on his door. He stopped what he was doing and stepped over to the door, where he peered through the peephole.

It was Krystal, only that she didn't seem to be tired and was fully dressed, which was very unlike her as she was always asleep before 9:30 most nights. Fox put his shirt back on and opened the door. Krystal smiled softly upon seeing him.

"Good evening, Fox," Krystal greeted.

Fox returned the smile, "Hey, Krys."

Noticing his shirt was off, she said, "I hope I haven't intruded on anything."

He shook his head, "Never. Would you…?'

Fox blushed slightly and looked at the floor, where Krystal's eyes narrowed amusingly.

"…like to come in?"

Krystal nodded, "I love to. I…I really need to talk to someone."

Fox stepped back and allowed Krystal to walk into his room. He instantly pushed out any dirty, immoral thoughts out of his head as he bent over towards the floor and put his shirt and vest back on. To Fox this was a near cliched scenario, and with it comes the basic equation, which was always this: Two people + one hotel room Limitless possibilities…all sensuous to think about. But Fox was better than that, and so was Krystal.

He turned to her, "You couldn't sleep?"

Krystal sat on the couch and looked at him closely, hands resting on her lap, "I haven't been trying to. I've got to much to sort out to even consider resting my eyes."

Fox stepped over to her, where she scooted over and allowed him to sit at the opposite end.

"Can I ask you what?" Fox asked.

Krystal sighed, "It's about a lot of things, Fox. And they've been tearing me up inside."

"If you need to talk about it," Fox asked, smiling, "I'm your fox."

Krystal smiled and leaned over to kiss him, "Thanks. But…"

She looked down at her feet. Fox upon shaking himself out of his trance of bliss courtesy of the vixen who had just kissed him, looked at her with concern.

"But what?"

"I'm afraid of what you might think," Krystal said, "It's something I once again hid from you and Falco. And that' s always been my worst habit."

Fox smiled reassuringly at her once again, "You don't have to. Whatever you have to tell me, I won't think of you any differently."

Krystal eyes widened, hearing his friendly response. She then nodded and inhaled softly, readying herself for what she had to say.

"A couple of months ago," she said, "I think I heard Jacques call out to me."

Fox's eyes widened, "What?"

"I was meditating," Krystal went on, "When I heard Jacques call my name. And it felt like he was in pain."

"In pain?" Fox queried as he felt tension build up, "You mean…?"

Krystal looked at him, eyes tense and nearing tears, "I think something bad has happened to him, but I don't know that for sure."

She looked away from him, not wanting Fox to see her tears. Fox looked at her sadly, where he sighed as he shuffled closer to her and grasped her by the shoulders, persuading her to look his way. When she did so, she could see that familiar reassuringly smile on his face.

"Jacques is at smart as he is tough," Fox explained, "I'm sure he'd be able to get himself out of trouble if it came his way."

Krystal looked at Fox, eyesbrows queered in confusion, "What are you…?"

Fox narrowed his eyes slightly, "When you heard Jacques, did he sound like he was dying?"

"No."

"We don't know for sure if he is alive or not," Fox continued, "But my best bet is that he's still alive and kicking. And whatever had just crossed his path would be nothing compared to what we went through last year…together.

Krystal began to see the sense in his words, which was to always stay positive.

"Are you certain?" Krystal asked.

Fox kissed her forehead and replied, "Positive."

Krystal smiled brightly and reached forward to embrace Fox. They shared another brushing of lips as they held each other tightly. After a minute they pulled back, where they stretched out on the sofa, and exhaled gently.

"Anything else?" Fox asked.

Krystal nodded, the smile fading away from her, "Yes. After I heard Jacques, someone else contacted me."

Fox looked over at her again, interested, "Who?"

She stared back at him. He could once again see the tension in her eyes, where he himself prepped himself to hear some more bad news.

"I think I was paid a mental visit by one of Chaos' champions," Krystal explained.

Fox's eyes widened as he shuffled to sit completely up on the sofa, "Chaos? Who?"

"Abaddon the Despoiler," Krystal responded, "The true mastermind behind Oikonny's operations last year."

Fox shook his head gently, being overwhelmed with so much information, and the fact that Chaos was once again tormenting Krystal from God-knows where in the universe; and if not in this universe, somewhere at least on this plane of existence.

"What did he want?" Fox asked, feeling his blood run hot and a look of determination crossed his face, "Did he try to hurt you?"

Krystal was alarmed at seeing Fox like this, but still she explained, "He said to enjoy this peace for as long as it lasts, and that he was going to see me soon so we could talk."

Fox sighed as soon as he took all that in, "You really should have told me once he invaded your brain, Krystal. Why tell me now after a couple of months?"

Krystal rubbed the back of her head, looking down at her feet, "I…I don't know."

She looked back at Fox, he looked back at her in a serious matter, "Do you think Chaos would try to attack Lylat again."

Krystal thought for a moment, before she drew upon the knowledge bestowed upon her by Jacques and explained, "That wouldn't be possible. Chaos' only way into the material universe, especially the Despoiler, would be to come from the Eye of Terror, near the Cadian star system. Most of the Cadian military is devoted to repelling the invaders from the Eye and nothing has ever breached it's defences."

"You're sure about that?" Fox asked.

Krystal nodded, "Jacques told me. His word is always truth."

Fox was silent for a few seconds, before he exhaled and chuckled slightly, "Boy, Krystal…you gave me quite a scare for a second."

Krystal laughed slightly, seeing Fox taking this well.

"So this is nothing to worry about?" Fox asked again, "We don't need to alert the Lylatian Military and tell them to prepare for a full Chaos outbreak?

Krystal smiled, "Nope."

"Thank God," Fox said humorously, before pretending to wipe his forehead, "We don't need to tell Peppy about this, right?"

The vixen shook her head, "No. The defences around the Eye are the Imperium's problem. And they've always held back the dark tides."

"Yeah," Fox muttered, before adding, "But none other like Jacques Mortensen."

"Yes," Krystal agreed, "None other like him."


	5. Chapter 4: Chaotic Dawn

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

* * *

Chapter 4 – Chaotic Dawn

* * *

_Each of the Legions has now nominated aspirants seeking to throw themselves upon our mercy in the vain hope that we may deem them worthy to join our ranks. Those loyal to the shrunken corpse on Terra still cling to their own processes by which perhaps one in a hundred neophytes may survive to become a battle brother. The methods I have developed over the last millennia are more stringent, for we must be pure in our hatred and hard of heart, body and soul. Fewer than one in every thousand survive, and I strive each day to lengthen these odds still further.  
- _**The Grimoire Mutatius Curatus, by Fabius Bile, Primogenitor of the Traitor Legions.**

At the eastern sector of the Lylat-border defences, for the men and women who manned and lived on Defences Station #67 life went on as usual. The routine weapons and hull integrity check had been accomplished and they were taking a well-earned rest, in celebration of **_Victory Day,_** the memoriam from when corruptive, soul-stealing Aparoid menace was annihilated, mostly due to the efforts of the Star Fox team.

With the food and champagne flowing in the mess hall and most, if not all, the personnel enjoying themselves, only two cadet station personnel, a rabbit and a raccoon, was in the control roon. The both of them were playing Poker on a metal table; cans of Fizz laid strewn about them and gambling chips in the centre of the table. The both of them focused intensely, trying to undermine the others confidence and hand.

When they were ready…

"So what d'ya have?" the raccoon asked.

The rabbit smiled and revealed his cards, revealing two pairs of hearts and diamonds.

"Two pair," the rabbit replied smiling as he stretched his hands forward to gather up the chips.

The raccoon shook his head and waved his finger side to side, "Not so fast."

The rabbit stopped and sat back down when the raccoon revealed his cards.

"Royal flush," the raccoon said, eyes narrowed and smiling devilishly.

The rabbit's eyes widened, where he lowered his head onto the table and banged his head on it in defeat. The raccoon chuckled softly as he scooped up the chips and the cash, before taking another sip of his current can of fizz.

"Why in God's name did I bet this month's salary?" the rabbit moaned, face against the table.

"You needed a new pair of expensive nine-hundred credit's worth of shoes," the raccoon reminded him, counting his winnings, "Don't feel sour about it, Jenkins."

"Up yours," the rabbit known as Jenkins replied, taking his head off his table, a few chips stuck to his face.

Just as he brushed them off an alarm went off, startling the raccoon and causing him to drop his winnings, which cluttered onto floor in a mess. They glanced over at his each other, eyes widened in horror.

"Shit, that better not be…"

"Oh crap…"

They ran over to the console, in the process tipping over the table and scattering the empty soft drinks cans all over the floor as well. Jenkins checked the console screens, to his horror it announced the presence of six human made starships approaching the borders. The two cadets felt sweat run down the sides of their faces, quickly soaked up by their fur.

"What do we do?" Jenkins asked, turning to his gambling buddy.

The fear could be seen in the raccoon's eyes, he felt terror build up within him.

"Get the guys up here on the double," the raccoon answered, "Priority: H!"

Jenkin nodded, before reaching for the P.A. com and pressing talk. He swallowed softly before he nervously opened his mouth to speak.

"P…Priority H."

A minute later the control room was bustling with personnel, each and every one of them couldn't help but feel fright. Even though the station was built to repel invaders, those who lived on it weren't keen on actually meeting them, and the stories told about the viciousness of the Imperium was enough to make the toughest Cornerian soldier quiver in terror.

"Status report?" the bulldog commander ordered.

Jenkins exhaled, "Six human craft approaching at tremendous speed, sir. They're appears to be one Mars-class battleship, two Avenger class cruisers and three Firestorm escort ships."

"Six ships?" the commander queried, "I figured the entire Imperial Navy would be bigger."

"What do we do, sir?" another technician replied.

The commander cleared his throat, "Dear Humanity…"

The technician, taking this as the cue to start transmitting a message, begun to type rapidly at his keyboard as the commander begun to speak, heavy doses of cynicism was evident in his words and phrases.

"If you do not kindly turn your ships around and return to where it is you come from, we will unfortunately be forced to fire upon your ships and send you spiralling to oblivion. Our Ion cannons can penetrate the hulls of your navy with ease. Respond."

…

…

…

"No response," the technician said, then raised his voice slightly with panic, "And…they appear to be accelerating."

The commander's eyes widened, before he glared, "Power up the heavy cannons and prepare to fire. Jenkins…?"

"Yes sir," the cadet replied.

"Send message to Command, tell them we've engaged the Imperium," the commander ordered, "Repeat: We have engaged the Imperium of Man."

"Right away sir."

Just as everyone was going about their duties, the power was suddenly was cut off in the control room as every console and computer screen went dead, as did the lights. One technician cried out with fright, while the commander's eyes lit up in the dark, and with uncertainty. He looked around the room, seeing nothing but pitch black darkness

"What just happened?" the commander queried.

"We've lost all power!" another technician exclaimed, "We've also lost backup power. Something just hacked into our security grid."

"No prizes for guessing who," the commander muttered, then said, "Alright, everyone do not panic."

Suddenly all heads snapped to attention as the personnel each felt something penetrate their minds, and their souls. The commander felt every nerve in his being freeze up, his eyes had shot open and his pupil's wide as saucers. Somehow he could feel that time around him had slowed to a crawl, as how the other personnel felt. He was then suddenly compelled to sit down. He then heard a voice…

If you value the lives of yourself, the men under your command and those who exist in Lylat, you will shut down your weapon systems, stand down and allow us to pass.

"Who…what are you?" the commander stuttered, responding to the voices in his head.

_A man who does not repeat himself._

----------

"Fox…"

Fox's eyes fluttered and he groaned slightly as he and Krystal slept, amidst the rumblings of a storm that was brewing outside, just as the rain begun to fall from the sky. The both of them were sitting on the sofa, resting their heads together with their hands clasped around the other. After talking through most of the night about each other's feelings, dreams, nightmares, hopes, fears, the little and big things in life, they blissfully fell asleep together, content in just being near each other.

"Fox…"

The vulpine hesitantly opened his eyes; the mysterious voices finally convinced him to wake. He groaned slightly, thinking he had once again been dreaming, and was glad to have woken up before he found himself in the Hell that was his own mind. He yawned widely, before scratching his forehead and realising that Krystal was still here, where she was sitting right next to him, fast asleep. He smiled, realising that they had fallen asleep together.

He gently got up from the couch and allowed Krystal to rest fully on the couch, she yawned gently and shuffled herself so that she was facing away from Fox, still asleep. He was content at just looking down at the love of his life.

'God, she looks so peaceful when she sleeps,' Fox thought pleasantly, 'Beautiful.'

He then frowned when he suddenly felt thirsty, he ignored the mini-bar and shuffled towards the bathroom, checking the time along the way: 4:50am. This would be the time Falco would have dragged himself back to his room, probably half-drunk, and that he would have to put up with his eventual hangover once he would wake up.

Fox stepped into the bathroom when he heard the rumbling increase in the distance outside, followed by what sounded like thunder following. He sighed, remembering his slight fear of the storm, an old childhood phobia that he never had the chance to shake off.

He switched the light on, he stepped over to the wash basin and turned the cold tap, where he put his muzzle to it and drank from it for a few seconds, before splashing cold water on his face. Fox then shook his head gently, as he felt refreshed. He reached for a nearby towel and wiped his faced, as he looked into the mirror, he gasped in complete shock where he dropped the towel.

"Fox…"

"Bill?"

Instead of looking at his own reflection in the mirror, he found himself staring the terrified face of his late close friend and fellow pilot/Academy-goer Bill Grey. He looked as if he had been brutalised, with large cuts all over his face, especially one from ear to ear as if he had his throat cut; followed by several bruises which appeared to make his face swell and both his eyes were blackened.

Fox saw the pain and fright in Bill's eyes as Fox put his hand to the mirror, as if trying to reach out to him.

"Bill?" Fox exclaimed, "Is…is that…?"

"Help me, Fox," Bill interrupted him pleadingly, "Please help me."

"Wha…what do I do?" Fox asked, "How?"

"I'm in HELL, Fox!"

Suddenly fire erupted from behind Bill from his side of the mirror, he screamed in agony as the flames licked at him from behind. Startled, Fox jumped back from the mirror and hit the wall behind him. Bill gritted his teeth in pain, while Fox watched helplessly as he sank down to the floor.

"BILL!" Fox screamed, "No!"

Iron-armoured hands grabbed Bill's head from behind and gripped it tightly, the husky cried out, "NO! PLEASE, NO! I'M BEGGING YOU, MASTER!"

The iron-armoured hands twisted Bill's head, the sickening snap of bones breaking was heard. Fox watched silently and in fright as the hands then begun to crush Bill's head, where the husky continued to scream in agony. The hands then begun to twist his head in different directions, where blood was beginning to leak from Bill's mouth, eyes and ears.

After about ten seconds of this torture, the iron hands relocated Bill's neck to its proper place, where Bill eyes were now droopy from the pain. He looked over at Fox.

"Fox," he groaned, "Save me…please. My soul…"

Fox felt tears sting his eyes, having seen his Bill get tortured right before him by something unseen. A deep throaty, guttery chuckle was heard, before Bill was smashed against his side of the mirror, cracking it, before he was tossed to the side, and out of view.

The owner of the iron hands stepped forward out of the flames and into view, where upon sight Fox felt his blood chill and his heart pound painfully against his chest.

"Fox McCloud, the son of James McCloud…puppet of the False Emperor."

Looking at Fox from the mirror with the flames raging from behind him was a pale-white, bald-headed man in dark, nearly rust-covered Terminator armour. His eyes glowed pupil less crimson from the dark energy as a look of satisfaction crossed his face, where he smiled.

"Your friend belongs to me now," the dark human bellowed, "His **_soul_** is mine. And you will join him very soon."

"What?" Fox cried.

The dark human's smile faded as he extended his finger towards Fox, pressing against his side of the mirror as he pointed to Fox and continued, "All of your souls will be mine! EVERY LAST one of you."

With a roar the fallen human smashed through mirror and lunged at Fox, where he grabbed Fox by the throat with his power claw and begun to strangle the life out of him. The vulpine tried to get away, but feeling the life drain out of him, he could only do one thing despite choking to death.

That was where he screamed…

----------

…and woke up.

"Fox, wake up!"

Krystal was gently shaking him from his sleep, where he shot forward from the couch, crying out in shock and begun taking in gulp-fulls of air, effectively hyperventilating. A look of concern crossed Krystal's face, where he then felt her hands on his back and shoulder.

"Fox, look at me…"

He did so, staring into her beautiful eyes.

"Fox, relax," Krystal pleaded, "You were just having a nightmare."

Fox looked over at Krystal as he begun to calm down, but still inhaling and exhaling as he tried to steady his breathing.

"N…nightmare?"

Krystal nodded, "Yes. It was just a bad dream. And judging from the fact you were yelling and turning in your sleep it must have been one Hell of a nightmare. But…"

She smiled warmly and embraced him tenderly.

"…it's over. You're safe now, with me."

Fox finally managed to steady his breathing as he felt her hug him, before he too hugged back, relieved that it was all just a dream. He closed his eyes and savoured the calmness and closeness provided by Krystal's presence, before reality dawned on him once again as he realised whom he had possibly saw in his dream.

"Krys"

"Yes, Fox?'

"I think I just got acquainted with Abaddon the Despoiler."

Krystal's eyes widened as she pulled back, a look of shock gracing her face, "What?"

Fox sat on the couch properly as he continued, "I saw him…tormenting Bill in what he call's 'Hell'. All that time Bill was screaming at me to help him, but I couldn't."

Still shocked, Krystal asked, "You…really saw him?"

"Bill?"

"No, the Despoiler?"

Fox's eyes narrowed in distress, "Yeah. I think I did. And God, did he look ugly."

Krystal smiled slightly and chuckled, where Fox couldn't help but grin as well, seeing her take amusement to that last sentence. Suddenly, what sounded like a thunderclap almost made the both of them jump up from the couch in fright. Fox groaned slightly and leaned back against the couch, covering his face with his palms, before he sighed.

"Damn it, I hate storms," Fox remarked.

Krystal got up from the couch and walked over to the window, where the curtains had been drawn. Her sixth sense was blaring like crazy as she pulled back the blinds. She gasped at what she saw in the distance.

"FOX!"

This time Fox jumped up from his couch, fully alert and awake.

"What is it?" Fox cried, "What's…?"

Fox felt his throat close up in horror when he saw it. It was Corneria City in the distance, and it was burning in the morning light. Smoke raised and filled the sky above it as what appeared to be a singular starship hovered above the city, where the anti-air cannons fired up at it, but not doing any remote damage. Fox and Krystal watched silently together as the city's once majestic and technological buildings burned and was racked with explosions, which sounded like thunderclaps.

Krystal shook her head as she stepped away from the window petrified, "No, this isn't possible!"

Suddenly they heard the door into his room swing open gently, where he and Krystal stepped over towards the passage leading to the door.

"Falco?" Fox cried, "Is that…?"

Standing in the doorway and shrouded in darkness was appeared to be large humanoid, where Fox cried out in surprise and stepped back towards the couch where he fell onto it, taking Krystal with him. The figure stepped into the room where the light from the windows shone on him, revealing what Fox hoped he would never see again.

It was a Space Marine, only that his helmet appeared to have horns coming out. His armour was not decorated with any of that Imperium's colours and it's eye ports was a metallic green. His right shoulder guard had what appeared to be a three-headed green snake imprinted on it whilst the left had an eight-pointed symbol on it instead of an arrow pointing up.

And he carried a chainsword in his left hand, where the handle appeared to have human flesh wrapped around it, and a boltpistol in the other.

"Fox McCloud, son of James McCloud," the Marine said, "Your time has come! Prepare to die!"

The Marine roared and lunged forward towards the pair, bringing his chainsword down. Fox and Krystal dove off the couch, where it was cleaved in half. Thinking fast, Fox reached for his blaster, only to have it kicked out of his hands by the Chaos Marine's armoured boot. The Marine aimed his boltpistol down at Fox, only for it to be kicked out of his hands by Krystal.

The Chaos Marine then swung his chainsword, where Krystal swerved to avoid it, before she delivered a high-kick to the Marine's armoured chest, staggering him. The Marine retaliated by raising his armoured hand and striking Krystal across the face, sending her falling to the ground.

"Ah!" she cried, feeling blood leak from her nose.

Fox, now feeling anger rise up within him, dove at the Marine and attempted to tackle him, only feel the Marine grip him by the throat…

"AWKKK!"

…and prepare to slice him down the middle with his chainsword. Krystal reached for the boltpistol and aimed at his back, where she pulled the trigger. The Marine grunted in pain, where he let go of fox and swung his chainsword again at Krystal, where as she rolled over the bed to avoid she felt the blade skim her arm.

She gritted her teeth in pain where the blood stained the bedsheets, before she aimed and fired at the Marine's head, where the bolt penetrated the Marine's helmet, skull, then the wall behind him. He stood there for a few seconds, his body jerking slightly, before falling onto the ground with a loud clank.

Krystal then felt the pain in her arms, where she dropped the boltpistol and put her other hand onto it to stem the bleeding.

"Krystal!" Fox exclaimed, rushing to her, "Are you alright?"

She looked at him and nodded, "I'll live."

Fox shook his head, where he rushed over to her and tore some of the bed linen off. He then wrapped it around Krystal's wound and tightened it, where the vixen yelped in pain. Fox cringed slightly at hearing her, but knew that this was necessary. It was a close call, where the Marine could have sawn her arm completely off.

Speaking of the Marine, they looked over at the corpse of the human, studying it softly.

"That can't be an Imperial Marine," Krystal said, "Wait…it's not an Imperium Marine."

"How can you tell?" Fox asked.

Krystal nudged towards the Marine's chest plate and the symbol on it…the eight-pointed star of…

"Chaos!" Fox exclaimed, "God! No way!"

The roar of a Thunderhawk transport cut through the air, where they turned to the window to see one such craft flying straight for their window. It fired it's vulcan cannons at their room, where Fox grabbed Krystal and they immediately dove into the bathroom just avoiding the bolter rounds which tore completely through the room.

Krystal resisted the urge to scream in fright, where Fox was lying on top of her as if shielding her. He quickly got off her and stretched his hand towards her, which she accepted and he helped her up. They stepped out of the bathroom and back into the bolter-riddled room with it's smashed windows, where they could hear the sounds of conflict coming from outside the resort, consisting of gunfire, explosions and people screaming in the distance.

"We got to get out of this resort," Fox said softly.

Suddenly bolter and plasma fire mixed with steel doors being smashed in erupted around, below and above them, where they both immediately guessed that there were more of these guys in and around the resort. Fox rushed over the window and saw the Chaos Thunderhawk dropship had landed in the court, where more Chaos Marines piled out.

"Fox, we have to go!" Krystal exclaimed, where she gripped the boltpistol tightly in her hands.

Fox nodded where he grabbed his blaster off the ground, where he checked the Marine's corpse and found a rusted short sword. They ran towards the door and into the hallway and where instantly alarmed at what they saw.

"WE ARE CHAOS! CHAOS IS STRONG!"

Where they could see what appeared to be ordinary, bald-headed tattooed humans in dressed in what appeared to be Cultist uniforms complete with mini-skull racks on their backs kicking down doors and rushing it, followed by the screams of the Cornerians as they were hacked up in their rooms. By chance one of the Cultists noticed them, where his eyes widened and he pointed towards them.

"IT'S THEM!" he shouted, "THE BOOTLICK VULPINE AND THE CERINIAN BITCH!"

"AFTER THEM!"

The Cultists rushed at them from all sides, blades drawn. They took off down another hallway, the Cultists in tight pursuit through the narrow passages.

"Falco's room is one floor up, Fox!" Krystal cried.

"I know!" Fox replied.

They dodged a laspistol blast from a Cultist which jumped before them from around a corner, where Fox glared and swung his blade, slicing the neck of the Cultist and spraying arterial blood all over the walls. The Cultist choked on his blood before toppling over, where the pursuing Cultists lunged at Fox and Krystal in the tight hallway.

Krystal fired her pistol at the nearest Cultist instantly splattering his brains out, where Fox dodged the swing of the next Cultist's blade, where he drove his own sword through the Cultist's chest. He then delivered a kick to the next Cultist's head, sending him falling backwards and knocking over Cultists down.

Fox then grabbed Krystal's hand and they continued running, ignoring the screams of the other Cornerian's on their floor as they were hacked up in their own rooms. Suddenly one naked canine male was kicked through the door of his room right before Fox and Krystal, followed by the Cultist where as Fox could take action the Cultist begun to slash the screaming canine to death. The Cultist laughed maniacally, before lunging at the pair.

"YOU'RE NEXT, McCLOUD! HA HA HA HA HA!"

The vulpine gritted his teeth and raised his blaster and fired multiple times at the still laughing Cultist, where his last shot burned a hole through the Chaos follower's head, which wiped the smile off his face as he fell backwards dead. They continued to run as the Cultists behind them still gave pursuit, heading towards the elevator which opened to greet them…which revealed a Chaos Marine with a rocket launcher.

Fox's eyes widened, "Uh-oh!"

"DIE SCUM!"

The Chaos Marine stepped out of the elevator and fired, where Fox and Krystal hit the floor and the rocket sailed past them and towards the pursuing Cultist. They screamed in surprise before they were reduced to ash, the resulting explosion blowing a hole in the floor. Fox lunged forward with his short sword and drove it through the Chaos Marine's gut.

The Marine cried out in pain, dropping the launcher and drawing his own blade, where Fox pulled it out and swung again, which the Marine managed to block and, unflinching towards his stomach wound, attacked. Fox ducked to the avoid the Marine dive, where he dove between the Marine's legs and appeared behind him, where…

"YAAAHHHHH!"

…the wily vulpine drove his blade through the Marine's armour and into his spine, where he cried out in pain and lost feeling in his legs, where he fell onto the floor. Krystal aimed and fired at the Marine, the bolt passing through his helmet and into his skull, splattering his head from the inside of his helmet.

With their foe defeated, they ran into the elevator. As Fox pressed for the 8th floor another Marine appeared from around the corner, where he aimed his boltgun and as the elevator doors closed he pulled the trigger.

"DOWN

Fox and Krystal hit the elevator floor, avoiding the bolter rounds, which pieced through the doors and through the lift. They were relieved when they felt the lift begin to go up, but dread immediately settled in once again as they psyched themselves to take on whatever waited for them on Falco's floor. Fox shook his head in disbelief.

"This can't be happening," he muttered, "No, this can't be happening."

Krystal glanced at him, "Fox."

"This can't be happening…"

"FOX!"

Fox glanced at her, "What?"

Krystal looked distressed as she said, "Focus, Fox. Concentrate."

Fox nodded and breathed in sharply, then exhaled, "Ok, alright, thanks for that. Now…lets grab Falco and bail!"

The door opened to reveal a bloodstained corridor, where the bodies of dozens of Cornerians laid strewn about. All their faces, men, women and children; were twisted and contorted in horror, where they had either had bolter or laser rounds tear them or were hacked apart by swords. Krystal's felt her consciousness scream in anguish, where tears begun to well up in her eyes."

'Oh God, it's happening again,' she thought distressfully.

The sounds of blaster fire was heard down the hallway and around the corner, where the pair ran down the hallway, ignoring the number **8, **which was drawn in blood all over the hallway. 8…the sacred number of the Blood God himself.

They turned the corner guns ready, just in time to see Cultists running down the hallway, laspistol's drawn and heading towards Falco's room. Fox broke cover, aimed at the head of the nearest Cultist and fired, blowing his brains out. The Cultists spun on their heels, they saw the vulpine and the vixen. They raised their laspistols and fired, where Fox skidded onto the floor and on his back, where he held the trigger and fired a charged laser blast, hitting the chest of the next Cultist and blowing a hole in it.

Krystal followed suit, from behind the corner she aimed and fired her boltpistol, scoring two more kills with a bolter round through their throats and downing. Fox roared with might and charged the remaining two Cultists, gripping his blade firmly. They in turn pulled out their own short swords, but like a spectre Fox struck quickly and slashed their throats, their blood splattering all over them.

More sounds of blaster fire was heard, where Fox and Krystal continued running, where they turned around another corner just in time to see a Cultist getting blown out of room screaming, where they saw the door into room #45…Falco's room.

"FALCO!" Fox exclaimed.

They ran up to the door where Fox banged his fist on it. They immediately heard the charging of blaster, where Fox and Krystal eyes widened, they ducked out of the way, and a charged shot came through the door.

"FALCO!" Krystal exclaimed, "IT'S US!"

The door opened to reveal Falco in his underwear and holding his blaster in his left hand.

"Sorry, you guys," Falco said sheepishly, "Quick, inside…NOW!"

Fox and Krystal complied and they dove inside, surprised to see Katt as well, where she herself was armed with her custom blaster, and whom was dressed only in her flight pants and a brown-coloured bra. She didn't feel compelled to cover herself before Fox and Krystal, who stared at her questioningly with surprised eyes.

"Er…hi," Katt greeted, unsure.

"Hi," Fox and Krystal replied in unison, where the vulpine suppressed a blush at seeing the half-naked feline.

"Man, talking about the Imperials moving in on us at a bad time," Falco groaned, throwing his blaster onto the bed and reaching for his pants on the ground.

Fox frowned at the avian, "I don't think they a crap about what you two got up to last night, and neither do I. We've got to get out of here and fast!"

Katt nodded, where she threw her shirt on, "Our ships are docked back at the city's starport. We're going to need a miracle to get there in one piece."

Fox seethed nervously, "What I was thinking. And another thing, it's not the Imperium that's invading us."

"Huh?" Falco sounded off, zipping up his suit.

"It's Chaos," Krystal added, "The Ruinous Powers of Chaos."

"Chaos Space Marines?" Katt queried, "Dear God, I've heard about those monsters."

"And now they're here," Krystal said, "We've got to get off Corneria before…"

And suddenly with that another Chaos Marine smashed through the wall from the next room across, gripping his boltgun in his hands, where he then pulled the trigger and begun spraying the room with lead. They each dove for cover, Falco and Fox behind the couch while Katt and Krystal dove into the bathroom. Fox broke cover and he begun firing away at the Marine, the lasers only staggering the Marine, not being able to penetrate his aged yet technically enhanced power armour.

Katt rolled across the floor from the bathroom towards the Marine, she aimed her blaster at the Marine's crutch and fired an explosive round. She thought she saw the Marine's eyes bulge from the helmet as he felt his extremities get blown away. She then fired another explosive round with blew apart the Marine's helmet and exposed his bald, Chaos-marked head.

The Chaos Marine's emaciated face with his bulging eyes and gritted teeth could be seen.

"You…fucking…pawns…of the False Emperor," the Marine struggled to say, before falling face forward onto the ground and passing out.

The four quickly ran out the room and back into the bloodstained corridor. They begun to run towards the elevator and stairs, Katt immediately felt nausea seep into her stomach upon seeing the carnage wrought by the fallen humans, where she was comforted slightly by Falco sticking close to her, his own blaster in hand.

"What's it gonna be, you guys?" Falco cried, "The lift or the stairs?"

"They'll be waiting for us down there," Krystal said just as they stopped before the elevator, "Either which way, we'll be up for a fight."

"And we won't last against any more of those rusted tin cans," Fox replied as he wiped his forehead, "Suggestions, anyone?"

Katt glanced over at the laundry chute, where she smiled lightly and nudged at Falco, who turned to her, where she directed his eyes towards the chute. He frowned, where he also smiled lightly and sighed.

"I was gonna think of that," Falco remarked.

Suddenly, Krystal cried out in pain and clutched her head, where Fox turned to her, alarmed.

"Krystal?"

"Oh God," she moaned, "They're…killing everyone down below. I can hear them…"

----------

The resort area ran with the blood of the holiday-goers and tourists as Chaos Marines, supported by the blood-crazy fanatical Cult groups smashed into the area and unleashed their own version of hell, spraying bolter rounds and laser bursts onto the terrified masses, before finishing them off with their blades. The security forces retaliated as best they could, but were soon overwhelmed by their numbers and their near impossible surprise attack. One guard kept his finger glued to the trigger of his gun as he fired at the nearest Chaos Marine, diving in and out cover where the Marine fired back. He looked through the scope of his blaster rifle and fired again, where he managed to finally crack through the Marine's helmet and score a headshot.

He could not relish in his victory, when he suddenly noticed a grenade lying behind him. Before he dive out the way, he was sent flying from his cover as the grenade exploded, separating him from his legs. His scream of agony was music to the Cultist's ears as they threw themselves on top of him and proceeded to hack him to pieces.

"FOR THE DARK GODS!" they each cried out.

And in the main hotel…

"NO…NO PLEASE….DON'T…AWKKKK!"

The bellhop felt the iron grip of the Chaos Champion around his throat and lifted him off the ground, where his feet begun to dangle. The champion smiled as he carefully watched the bellhop strangle slowly, before he crushed his neck with his hands and stare into his eyes as the life slowly left them. The champion then hurled the bellhop aside and cried out into the air, where he bet his chest with his free hand, which was balled into a fist.

"KILL EVERYTHING IN THIS MISERABLE DWELLING!" the champion ordered, "MAN, WOMAN, CHILD! SPARE NO ONE WHO MIGHT OPPOSE THE DESPOILER AND THE DARK GODS!"

Chaos Marines flooded the lobby where they aimed their bolters at the elevators and the entrances to the staircases, where the readied themselves for the proverbial sheep to come to the slaughter. They came in their dozens from, where they each felt the Marine's bolt rounds tear through them, killing them before they could even fell to the floor.

The champion smiled upon seeing them fall, where his head jerked up upon sensing faint psionic waves in the air. He frowned.

"So they are still alive?" he said to himself, before he called, "Davidov, Lucan, Ford!"

Three Chaos Marines stepped before him, "Yes, champion?"

"Go down to the basement," the champion ordered, "And wait there for the pawns to try to flee with their lives."

----------

The avian security guard cowered with fright behind the still-running washing machines, where he held his blaster in his left hand, his right hand covering his wounded left arm and prayed silently that the behemoths would not find them there. The moment he first saw the Space Marines land in front of the resort and smashed through the glass doors of the lobby, he took off. All without a second thought towards the people he was suppose to protect, or that of his fellow guards as he left them all there to be run through with their swords.

'God, please help me,' he thought, 'Please don't let them finish me, like they almost did when they destroyed Cerinia.'

He raised his head over the machine he was hiding behind towards the door, relieved that no one, human or Cornerian, stepped through. He eyed the other door that was right next to the machine, which led outside towards the carpark and to possible death where everything outside burned in the morning light. Suddenly, he heard rumbling coming down from the chute which led to the large mound of dirty clothes, which almost made him jump.

He breathed steadily, trying to relax his heartbeat. He heard faint feminine yelling, before…

"OOFF!"

…and he broke cover and aimed towards the pile, expecting to find that the human had found himself, rather it was a cerulean coloured vixen lying in the pile of clothes, where she picked herself up, and was immediately startled upon noticing that a gun was being pointed at her.

"Don't shoot," Krystal said, "I'm on your side."

The guard exhaled painfully, "Thank God, I thought you were one of them...hey, aren't you Krystal from Star Fox?"

"Yes"

The guard smiled with relief, "Oh definitely thank God…hey, where's the other…?"

Falco was next to land in the pile of clothes, followed by Katt and Fox. Falco face was that of disgust as he realised he had landed in the pile of stinking clothes and sheets, where he brushed himself of, where he noticed Krystal staring down the guard.

"Don't mind us," Falco blurted, "Just passin' through."

"Passing through?" the guard asked astonished, "You guys should be out there taking down those fucking humies. They're killing everyone they see..."

And with that the sounds of nearby boltguns tore through the air, causing them to turn to the doorway, where the fear immediately returned to engulf the guard, where the pain in his arm causing him to cry out, where Star Fox and Katt turned back to him.

"Shouldn't you?" Katt asked, "It's your job to protect and serve?"

"Can't you see I've caught one in the arm?" the guard asked angrily, "And it hurts like freakin' Hell."

"How do we get out of the resort?" Fox asked, gripping his blaster tightly, as did the others.

The guard nudged towards the other door right next to him, "This door here. But it's suicide if you're thinkin' of making a break for it."

"Better than stayin' here and hiding behind a washer," Falco replied, "I'm all for getting out of this hell hole."

Suddenly three Chaos Marines smashed through the doorway leading into the laundry. They immediately aimed their boltguns at the guard and fired, immediately blowing his arms and legs offs, leaving only a screaming torso, which then received a shot to the chest, cracking it wipe open.

"GO!" Fox shouted as he, Falco, Katt and Krystal ran for the doorway.

The Chaos Marines fired again, where Falco felt a bolt skim his tail feather. They kicked open the door and ran down another hallway leading to a pair of double doors, which led outside.

"AFTER THEM!" they heard one of the Marines cry out.

They pushed through the doors leading them to the back of the resort and the massive car park area, where Cornerian bodies and gibs littered everywhere, followed by more Chaos Marines which patrolled the perimeter, and which they didn't seem to notice their presence. And Krystal was determined to keep it that way.

_Guys, _Krystal transmitted to the others minds, _Let's be settle about this. Let's grab the nearest vehicle and get out of here._

Fox, Falco and Katt nodded, where suddenly a bolter round flew over Fox's head from behind them, where the vulpine cried out, and caught the attention of the other Chaos Marines, who each loaded up their boltguns and opened fire. They made a break for it, dodging bolter rounds as they ran and fired their own blasters.

Then, descending from the sky was a Conerian Strike Fighter, which flew over the carpark, where the Marines decided to concentrate their fire up at it. Unfazed by the bolter fire, the fighter fired it's twin laser and blasted every Chaos Marine in the carpark, sending their armoured bodies flying as the cars around them exploded. One Marine landed before Fox, where he jumped over it and continued running.

"Alright, that's gives us some breathing space," Fox said, "The nearest car?"

"How about mine?" Katt asked, taking out her remote key and pressing it.

A pinkish red van parked between two other burning vehicles beeped, where it's headlights flashed for a few seconds. They were quick to open the doors and hop in, with Fox in the driver's seat with Katt sitting beside him. Falco had noticed the décor of the car, which Katt had sensed right away.

"Those Rent-A-Car jerks recommended it, ok?" Katt shot at Falco.

"Hey, did I say I was complaining?" Falco replied as he held his hands up in protest.

Fox frowned, "Fasten your seatbelts, everyone! I'm not stopping for anything!"

Not waiting for an answer Fox put the van in reverse and back out of the parking space, and into a Cultist, which was crushed against the wall screaming, his blood spilling all over the back window. Fox begun to drive forward and away from the carpark towards the main entrance, which was at the front of the resort, and where most of the carnage was taking place, and even more bodies were piled up, civilian and security guard alike.

'Goddamn,' Fox thought.

"HEADS DOWN!" Falco cried.

Bolter rounds begun to tear through the van's windows, where everyone lowered their heads and closed their eyes as pieces of glasses flew about, except Fox where he raised his head just enough to see where he was driving, towards the main gate.

"FOX!" Katt cried, "WHAT ARE YOU…?"

And before she could finish the van smashed through the gate and continued down the road towards the bridge that led to Corneria City. Every sat back up, where Falco brushed some broke glass off his forehead.

"Jeez, Fox!" Falco exclaimed, "What are you trying to pull?"

"Us out of here," Fox responded.

"Fox, what about Peppy?" Krystal said, "The Cornerian Army Headquarters has probably been hit as well."

Fox almost gasped as well, before he exclaimed and slammed his fists on the wheel, "Shit!"

----------

The Cornerian Defence Force HQ control room was bathed in red light courtesy of the multiple Red Alerts going off, as well as the sounds coming from alarms and klaxons that could be well loud enough to pierce anyone's ear drums. General Peppy stood there in the centre of the control room as he watched the screens that showed the warzone that was Corneria City, as it burned all around them. Officers ran about the control the room while technicians, wanting to run for their lives, were still at work at their posts.

Questions were being asked all around in desperation. Questions such as…

"What's going on?"

"How'd they get here?"

"What do we do?"

Peppy broke the silence as he exclaimed, "Report!"

"Human forces have overrun the entire city, sir" a technician replied panicked, "They've already broken through our defensive lines and are converging on the HQ. Defence squads reporting massive civilian casualties in areas of conflict."

"Civilian status?"

"They are fleeing the planet en masse, sir," the technician answered, "There are reports of mass fighting outside the star ports."

"The enemy must be trying to focus exclusively on killing innocent people," Peppy said, before asking, "Evacuation status?"

"Transport ships that have managed to leave the planet's atmosphere report being engaged by human strike fighters. Twelve have already been destroyed, while seven have managed to escape the Cornerian lines."

Peppy wiped his forehead, "What about the Orbital Gate? Patch me through to the fleet."

"Yes sir," the technician said as he typed away for a few seconds, before saying, "Channel's open sir.

General Hare, the other line cried, amidst the sounds of starship cannon fire, We've engaged the Imperial fleet but we're losing ships by the minute. Five capital cruisers are already down.  
"Where is the enemy coming from?" Peppy asked. They appear to be coming…from…from...the… 

The transmission was interrupted by white noise and static, which was followed by a massive explosion from the other end, followed by people screaming and then…silence. Peppy's eyes widened, having heard all that.

The technician checked his console, "Transmission's being cut off sir.

Peppy shook his head, "This can't be the Imperium that's invading. It must be…"

He was cut off when suddenly an artillery shell hit the HQ and caused the entire building to rock slightly from it's foundations, but Peppy managed to keep a cool head and his balance, while cries of terror echoed around the room.

"What are you orders, general?" the officer asked.

Peppy looked over at the large screen and saw what appeared to be Corneria City from a bird's eye view. Most of it's buildings were on fire and were crumbling to the ground, courtesy of the massive spacecraft which hovered above it as well as the massive fighting between the remaining Cornerian forces and the invaders.

Peppy sighed, where he stepped over to the nearest console and pushed down the 'General Announcement' button, where he declared, "Attention Cornerian Military, this is Supreme Commander General Peppy. Initiate strategic withdrawal of all military forces to Site #2. All civilians are ordered to abandon Corneria and head towards the edge of the system."

All eyes in the control room widened upon hearing Peppy give the announcement. Total evacuation, the last call for all Cornerians to abandon their place of origin and to flee to the edges of the system, in the hopes that the enemy would not be able to follow them, and that they quickly reorganise and regroup for total war.

The officers in the control room felt determination build up their souls, where they cried out, "Alright, you heard the general. Let's pack it up."

Peppy sighed again as he thought, 'Fox. I hope to God you and the others are getting yourselves off Corneria right now.'

----------

All over the city squads of Cornerian soldiers were fighting a desperate, losing battle against the invading Chaos forces, where each and every one of them gave their best against the tide of blood-crazy maniacal Cultists and battle-hardened Traitor Marines. Even thought they were equipped with the finest weapons and vehicles the Cornerian army had to offer, but Soldier against Marine equalled no contest as they were each literally hacked and blown to pieces by the Forces of Chaos.

"GO! GO! GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE! RETREAT"

The Cornerian sergeant gripped his blaster rifle in his hands as he and his squad hopped over the rubble of the nearest tank and ran down the nearest alley as they attempted to shake off the pursuing Cultists hot on their tail, laspistol blasts sailing over their heads. The sergeant spun around and fired his machine-gun, killing two of them, before having his gun blasted out his hand.

"DAMN IT!" he cursed.

As he reached for his blaster, he felt a laser bolt hit him in the foot, where he cried out in pain and fell to the ground. Another soldier spun around and fired his rifle at the oncoming Cultists, before he cried out.

"The sergeant's down!" the soldier exclaimed, "Help me…URGHHHH!"

The sergeant saw the soldier get hit by a plasma shot which hit him in the chest and down him, where a pair of Marines stepped over him and pursued his squad. Panicked, the Cornerian soldiers fired at the attacking Chaos, only to be set on fire by one of their flamethrowers, where they screamed in agony as they burnt to a crisp.

"NO!" the sergeant cried, before reaching for the nearest fallen rifle and held it with one hand, where he aimed it at the pairings and just as he pulled the trigger…

"ARGH!"

…he felt his hand get hacked off by some sort of creature ripped straight from the depths of Hell itself. It appeared to be a bipedal bull-like muscled humanoid who wore dark armour but not like the sort the Marines wore. It carried a large axe, which was stained with the sergeant's blood, and where it looked down at the sergeant, who felt the blood leave his face in fright.

"Good work, servant of Khorne," one of the Marines said, "Now…FINISH HIM!"

The daemon replied, where the sergeant screamed as it brought its axe down on his chest, splitting it open and where it erupted in a shower of blood which covered the 'Bloodletter.' It then roared into the air and beat it's armoured chest in triumph, having killed another in the name of the Blood God.

----------

Fox navigated the van past the burning wreckage of the other vehicles and the charred corpses of their unfortunate occupants on the bridge into Corneria City, where he and the others tried not to gag on the smell of the bodies and the smoke.

Krystal wiped a tear from her eye and moaned, "This is horrible."

"You'll have time to lament once we get out of here with our limbs intact," Falco said, "Hey Fox…?"

"Yeah!"

"You better get ROB on the horn and to prep the ship."

Fox's eyes widened, "ROB? Damn it."

With one hand on the steering wheel, Fox dialled his communicator.

"ROB, do you copy?" Fox started, "This is Fox."

_Affirmative, I read you, _Rob confirmed on the other line.

"What's your situation?"

Situation is critical. Chaos troop movement detected around star port area, It will be a matter of time before they manage to break in, however

"Well that's comforting," Falco muttered.

"Prep the ship for immediate take off," Fox ordered, "We're on our way."

Affirmative.

Krystal looked at the window, where she saw a Thunderhawk bearing down towards the bridge, it's missile ports opened and ready. Her eyes widened.

"FOX!" she exclaimed.

The Thunderhawk fired at the van, where Fox swerved to avoid the hellfire barrage and continue driving, only a few yards from the city entrance, the Thunderhawk flew over the bridge and turned to make another run, where it readied the large lascannon situated on it's roof. Suddenly, two Cornerian fighters appeared and engaged the Thunderhawk, firing their missile and managing to shot it down, where it crashed into the ocean.

"That was lucky," Katt said.

Fox smiled slightly, "Yeah. Seems we'll be getting off this rock after…oh no…"

"Oh shit!" Falco exclaimed.

Stepping onto the road was what appeared to be a large crab-like creature machine which appeared to be made of iron, and had cannons attached to the side's of it's 'head.' A helmet with glowing red eyes was built on it's forehead, where it moved it's arms and prepared itself for the van.

"THE BRAKES," Krystal cried, "HIT THE BR…"

It was too late as the Chaos Defiler swung it's arms and swatted the van off the bridge and towards the street. It's occupants screamed as it flew in the air, and whom was silenced once it hit the road. Fox banged his head against the steering wheel and was rendered unconscious, where the last thing he heard was that near-demonic phrase.

"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULL'S FOR THE SKULL THRONE!"


	6. Chapter 5: Escape From Corneria

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

* * *

Chapter 5 – Escape from Corneria

* * *

As if history had been revisited there was once again conflict in orbit above Corneria and near the Beltino Orbital Gate. This time not between the Cornerian fleet and the Aparoids, rather it was the Cornerians facing off against the mighty warships of the Imperium…or what they thought was the Imperium, as they appeared to be coming from the Beltino Orbital Gate which was somehow activated. Dark, Gothic-looking starships of many twisted shapes emerged from the portal, each one brimming with enough lance cannons and torpedo launchers to blow a chunk out of the planet.

Evacuation ships were already rising from the surface of the planet and breaching the atmosphere into space, each one stuffed to the brim with confused, horrified Cornerian citizens and soldiers. The hundreds of Cornerian space fighters had their work cut out for them trying to escort these transports, as enemy fighter craft and the smaller strike cruisers quickly swarmed upon them, intent on making sure none made it off the stricken world.

Already the Cornerian fleet had engaged the smaller strike cruisers, which had come through the gate first. One of which was a Cornerian Behemoth-class frigate was occupied with fighting three 'Idolator' class cruisers, that allowed one of the 'Retaliator' class warships to fire it's deadly Warp-infused lance cannon and tear the ship in half. A minute later both pieces exploded, scattering hull and metal throughout the blackness of space.

The captain of another Cornerian battlecruiser watched away from the battle terrified, as that frigate exploded. More of the 'Imperial' ships responsible were appearing from the orbital gate. He frowned and turned towards his crew.

"FORWARD!" he ordered, "GUNNERY CREWS TO THEIR STATIONS! CHARGE HEAVY CANNONS TO MAXIMUM FIREPOWER! PREPARE FOR COMBAT!"

The battlecruiser moved forward, where it was escorted by almost a hundred Cornerian fighter craft, where each one of their pilots wanted to turn their ship around and flee, except for one. He was a brown-coloured simian who was surprisingly piloting alongside the Cornerian forces; he raised the visor of his helmet and squinted at the attacking ships.

He shook his head softly and thought, 'These can't be Imperial craft we're dealing with.'

_Commander Bowman, _his com blurted, _Respond._

The simian frowned, "Dash Bowman awaiting orders, captain."

_Engage the Imperial craft. Occupy them long enough for the civilian ships to clear the Cornerian lines!  
_

"Roger that!" Dash exclaimed, then opened the com to his wing, "All ships…"

_Yes, sir!_

_Awaiting orders, commander!_

"Move forward, engage the closest enemy ship! DRAW THEIR FIRE AWAY FROM THE TRANSPORTS AT ALL COSTS!"

The Cornerian fighters then accelerated towards the approaching enemy craft, which each launched their own fighters, which engaged the Cornerians in the hundreds. Dash lowered the visor of his helmet, a look of pure, hardened determination crossing his face. He launched a bomb, which passed through the fighters and into the centre, exploding and taking dozens out immediately.

Once the Chaos fighters were in range they opened up with their small lascannons, where Dash and his wing mates did their best in dodging their ships. The dozen Cornerian fighters engaged the Chaos ships in a massive dogfight. Plasma mixed with laser filled the orbit above Corneria and around the Orbital gate, where it was possible to see the lights emitting from the battle half a light year away. They were soon joined by the remaining Cornerian battlecruisers who engaged (what they still believed) the Imperial capital ships.

Dash accelerated forward and immediately fired his twin lasers, destroying a Chaos fighter. He barrel-rolled to avoid a missile from another fighter as it pursued him, before he performed a loop and allowed the fighter to pass under him, he fired again and destroyed it. He watched another Cornerian fighter from out the side of his canopy as it attempted to engage a group of four fighters by itself, only to be blasted out of his existence.

_COMMANDER…AHHH!_

Dash squeezed his eyes closed, immediately trying not to let that scream over his com burn itself into his mind. He gripped his controls firmly and stuck to his task at fighting the invaders, despite nearly hundreds more appearing from the orbital gate. And though out all this, he didn't understand how this was really happening, and why.

"Command!" Dash cried, "Is there any contact with the gate personnel?"

_Negative, commander! _the other line exclaimed desperately, _Communications are completely blank. They must all be dead._

"Shit," Dash cried, "We have to retreat and cover the remaining transport ships."

_We just received confirmation from General Hare. All Cornerian military are to withdraw to Site #2 immediately and regroup._

"Well, there we go!" Dash exclaimed exasperated, "All ships…"

_COMMANDER! BREAK LEFT! BREAK LEFT!_

The simian pilot felt his heart pound painfully against his chest as he suddenly spun left out of harms way, allowing four Chaos strike fighter to pass him. He then gritted his teeth and gripped his controls, where he fired his double-laser at the enemy, destroying it. Three more fighters beared down on him from all sides and fired their lascannons. He barrel-rolled and dodged them, before launching three separate missiles and destroying them.

_Commander Bowman, _the simian's com blurted, _Are you alright, sir?_

"Yeah, I'm fine," Dash replied, "Now, all ships…"

Receiving… 

_Go ahea…ARGH….  
__  
_Listening to the fact that one of his subordinates was just destroyed, where he could see his Cornerian fighter blow up right beside him, "Break off and regroup near the civilian transports and give them cover. We're withdrawing from Corneria."

_Understood._

Just as the Cornerian fighters all performed U-turns, the Cornerian battlecruisers all accelerated backwards and away from the orbital gate, still firing their laser batteries at the enemy battleship, who returned fired with their lance cannons. Whilst the Cornerian's weapons barely did any damage, the Chaos' ships lances blew holes in four of them, two of which immediately exploded, letting out a deafening resonance despite being in space.

_SOMEBODY HELP US! _a female pilot from one of the transport cried, _The humans are tearing us to pieces!_

"Hang on," Dash replied, "We're on our way. Just keep together."

Dash and the remainder of his squadron sped towards the long of transport ships, they were under heavy assault by both Chaos fighters and strike cruisers. Dash made the first move against them, launching a bomb, which made impact against the nearest cruiser and blowing a hole in the side of it, where it begun to slowly descend and plunge down through the atmosphere of the planet. He and his squadron then began to engage the fighters.

"Goddamn it," Dash cursed softly, "Where the hell is Star Fox when you need them?"

----------

Inside the control room of the command facility of the Beltino Orbital Gate a lowly security technician screamed in pain as he felt a sword drive itself into his back courtesy of a Champion, and sever his spine; his blood covered the entire floor alongside his colleagues. He was silenced for good when a bolter round hit him in the back of the head.

The Champion, accompanied by his squad of Marines, smiled with glee where he took off his rusted helmet to admire their handiwork: A blood-soaked control room, which would make Khorne proud. He activated his earpiece communicator and spoke in a dark, corrupted tone of voice, him surrounded by the corpses of his prey, each one with a face of pure terror as if they saw the devil himself.

"We have secured the control room of the facility, highest," he spoke, "We now control the gate on this side."

_Excellent champion, the Gods will surely reward your for your devotion to the cause. I will now be coming in myself and seeing first hand our victory over these furries and the fall of their homeworld. I trust I will not be disappointed._

"You shall not, my lord." The Champion said with glee, "By day's end, we shall…"

He was suddenly interrupted when he felt several laser round tear into back. He grunted in pain as he felt his chest explode outwards, his blood spraying all over his fellow traitors. He could only smile as he felt glorious pain, before he fell to his knees and then onto his back. The others Marine fired toward the doorway, towards the black dog of a security guard who gripped his smoking gatling gun in his hand, and where he ducked sideways out of the doorway towards cover.

**_A/N: I think Cornerian Gatling Guns have the power to punch through Power Armour, as well as a heavily concentrated charge shot._**

"You like that, Imperial fuckers?" the guard shouted as he broke cover and fired again, aiming at the next closest Marine.

His gatling bolts struck the next Marine with full force, lifting him off his feet but this time not managing to kill him, where the angry Marine got back up and fired his bolter. The guard then dove backwards, avoiding a bolter round which he felt flaw his ear. He gritted his teeth in pain before he dropped his ammo-less gatling and reached for his sidearm blaster. Just as the door into the control room closed, he heard a cry of might come from behind him. He spun around.

Just in time he ducked a swing from another Chaos Marine, where he looked different than the other Chaos Marines he just witnessed. He was adorned in dark-red armour with gold linings, where he had eye slits on his helmet which was shaped like a T and two armour shards appeared to extend upwards from the sides of the head. To top it off, he was armed with what appeared to be axe with a chain-like blade.

"What the hell are you supposed to be?" the guard cried.

"I am a Bezerker of the Blood God Khorne," the Marine replied with utter malice, who seethed anxiously behind his helmet, "And in his name I shall drink the blood from your heart!"

The guard frowned, "Come take it, asshole!"

The Bezerker lunged forward, his axe's blade rotating noisily. The guard managed to avoid his next swing, where he fired a charge shot and blasted the chainaxe out of the Bezerker's hand. Just as he was able to fire again, the Bezerker suddenly reached for his bolt pistol and shot the guard in the chest, who cried out in pain.

The guard immediately saw his life flash before his eyes, not noticing the Bezerker bend over and pick up his chainaxe. He then lifted the guard off the ground by his ears and messily sawed his head off, where he died happy at seeing images of his family…his wife and newborn pups. The Bezerker noticed the smile on the guard's face.

"Your head will make a good addition to the skull throne," the Bezerker said.

He then pulled his helmet off and got down on his knees, seeing the blood spread from the guard's headless corpse. He then licked his lips and using his hands as a cup he begun to drink the Cornerian's blood, feeling his bloodlust increase through every drop. He then sighed with immense pleasure, before he then put his face to the bloody puddle and started to lap up the blood like an animal. His lust not satiated, he dove his hand into the Cornerian's chest and plucked out the heart, where he begun to squeeze it and extract the precious red liquid into his mouth.

The door into the control room opened and out stepped the four Black Legion Chaos Marines, where they looked curiously at the World Eater Khorne Bezerker. He stopped what he was doing, before he turned towards them, not feeling at all embarrassed. Rather, he just smiled and wiped the blood from his face.

"Plenty of Cornerian blood for all," the Bezerker said snidely.

One of the Marines suddenly drew his blade and shook his head sadly, "You dare drink Cornerian blood reserved only for the Gods, bootlick of Khorne?"

The Bezerker's eyes widened when the other Marine drew their sword and lunged at him, where they begun to hack him to pieces, starting with his head which was sliced up into halves, where his tainted blood mixed with the Cornerians. And throughout his culling he didn't utter a sound, as he was still savouring the taste of Cornerian blood, which to him was sweeter than any other kind of blood in the universe.

Afterwards one of the Chaos Marines said as he wiped his ex-brother's blood off his helmet, "Those Bezerker's are selfish when it comes to blood. Especially Cornerian blood."

"I comply, brother," another Marine agreed.

----------

"FOX, GET UP!"

Fox quickly stirred from his seven seconds of unconscious bliss, only to find himself being dragged by his shoulders from the van by Falco, whose face was crossed with bitterness. Fox could make out Krystal, Katt and some Cornerian soldiers firing at something off screen. He lowered his head to find the crab-like machine, which totalled their car charging towards them.

"WHOA!" Fox cried out in fright.

The area around them was a complete urban warzone. As he heard the soundtrack of warfare blazing in the air he saw that the many of the buildings were bombed out, the bodies of both Chaos and Cornerian troops and civilians strewn the roads and most of all, the sky was turning a sickish blood red. Fox coughed some and struggled out of Falco's grip."

"I'm awake, Falco!" Fox yelled, "Lemme' go!"

Falco complied, where Fox pulled out his blaster, charged it, and fired at the machine and the daemonically possessed helmet situated at the top of it. It appeared to recoil in pain and step back some, crushing some unlucky Cultist under it's feet.

"McCLOUD! CATCH!"

As Fox got up a soldier tossed his way a massive Demon Launcher, one of the most powerful weapons in the Cornerian army's arsenal. He picked up the launcher from the ground and quickly aimed at the 'Defiler', where as it opened up with it's artillery he fired. The rocket sailed towards the Defiler and hit square in the 'chest', where he let out a mechanical roar and flopped onto the ground, slightly stunned.

"Come on, Fox!" Krystal shouted as she continued to fire her machine-gun, "We've got to get out of here…and fast!"

Fox dropped the Demon Launcher, where he, Falco, Katt and three other Cornerian soldiers begun to run away from the street and into the alleyways between the buildings. Already they could hear the marches and battle cries of the Chaos Marines as they gave chase, where bolter fire passed by their heads. Fox turned around and fired his blaster at the pursuing Marines, before they ducked into another alley and back onto the street, and behind a barricade controlled by other Cornerian soldiers.

"GUNS DOWN THE ALLEYWAY!" Fox ordered, "INCOMING MARINES!"

The dozen Cornerian soldiers aimed their weapons at the alleyway and opened fire just as the Traitor Marines came into view, where Star Fox jumped out of the way and allowing the Cornerians to let the Marines have it. The Marine continued their charge as they fired their own tainted weapons, where the barrage of gatling and missile fire eventually took their toll and brought them down.

Only one Marine managed to break past the blaster fire, where he hacked down a Cornerian soldier. Fox charged and delivered a swing of his stolen blade, hacking the Marine's head off. It rolled towards the feet of a Cornerian soldier, who cried out in shock upon seeing the decapitated head look up at him.

"Get a grip, soldier!" Falco growled, "More of that's coming right up."

Suddenly a horde of Cultists climbed over the barricade…

"FOR THE DARK GODS! CHARGE!"

…and descended upon the Cornerians, blades drawn and with their lust for blood needing satiation. Anger was evident on Krystal's face as she quickly picked up one of the Chaos Marine's blades and charged the Cultists, where she let out a cry of might and drove her blade through the chest of the nearest one. The Cultist screamed in pain as she pulled out and kicked him in the head, downing him.

"KRYSTAL!" Fox cried, then shouted at the top of his lungs, "C'MON EVERYBODY…!"

The Cornerian soldiers complied. Just as Krystal swung her blade and sliced the neck of another Cultist, they attacked the Cultists with their rifle butts. One soldier swung his rifle and conked the head of a Cultist, bashing his skull in and sending him onto the ground, before he aimed his rifle at him and fired into his chest, blowing it apart.

Fox dodged the swing of another Cultist, before shoulder charging him and disarming him, then with the Cultist's own blaster he shot him in the knees. Just as the Cultist fell Fox smashed his knee against the Cultist's head and broke his neck. Falco lunged at a Cultist, where he grabbed him by the sides of his bald head and headbutted him onto the ground.

Falco smirked as he then brought his foot down on the Cultist's windpipe, where the blood erupted from his mouth and splattered on Falco's face. He gritted his beak as he felt the adrenaline pump through his system. Falco swung his blaster and pistol-whipped a Cultist down and he landed on his neck and died instantly as it snapped.

He heard another Cultist charge him from behind, before he could turn around to face him he saw Katt fire her blaster his way and hit the Cultist upside the head. Falco smile at her, before he cried out and charged another Cultist. Katt ran to his side and jump kicked two Cultists at once, knocking their swords out of their hands. She grabbed one of the blades as it fell back down and slashed both Cultists across the neck at once.

Fox grunted in pain when he felt a blade skim his back. He nonchalantly turned around and grabbed the Cultist by the throat with both his hands, where he stared the tainted human right in the eyes, filling the lowly pawn with immense fear. The Cultist's pupils widened, where he dropped his sword and a look of shock was evident on his face.

"He Who Opposes The Gods," the Cultist whimpered softly, "Please spare me, a lowly mortal in the service of Nurgle."

Fox shook his head softly, "Not today."

To prove his point he twisted the Cultist's head and broke his neck, where a sickening crack of the bone followed. He turned around to see a Cornerian soldier get hacked down behind him, before he gritted his teeth, swung his blade, and sliced the Cultist across the face. The Cultist screamed in pain, dropped his weapons and clutched his face. Another Cornerian soldier finished the job by aiming his rifle at his chest and discharging it, blowing out his back.

The fight was soon over, where ten Cultist and four Cornerian bodies laid strewn about. Star Fox and the remaining Cornerians didn't have time to celebrate, where they quickly ran down the street and away from the blockade, where twenty seconds later a lascannon-equipped 'Predator' tank smashed through it, sending pieces of metal and shrapnel flying everywhere.

"Ah crap, they've got TANKS!" Falco cried, "They've brought the works!"

"What do you expect? Keep running!" Fox yelled, where he turned to Krystal. Instantly his eyes widened, "KRYSTAL, LOOK OUT!"

Krystal cried out in shock when suddenly a Bloodletter dove out from behind a bus stop and lunged at her with an axe. She dodged it's swing, where she reached for her boltpistol and shot it through the head. It bellowed in pain and fell backwards, where crimson flames sprouted from beneath it as it was sent back to whence it came from.

Suddenly the Predator fired its lascannon, the blast sailed over the Cornerian's head and struck a nearby building, causing it to collapse and crush a nearby squad of soldiers, who screamed in pain as it fell on them. The roar of a Cornerian fighter sliced through the air as it descended downwards towards the street and fired it's payload of missiles at the tank, blowing it apart and scattering crimson energy everywhere and engulfing the Marine around it, burning them alive.

_What'd you think of that shot, McCloud?_ Fox's communicator laughed from the other end, courtesy of the fighter's pilot.

"Nice shooting, pilot!" Fox exclaimed into his wrist-communicator, "What's the current situation with you guys?"

_We're getting slaughtered off planet by the Imperials, the pilot responded, Aren't you guys suppose to be up there right now covering our asses?_

"WE'RE WORKING ON IT!" Fox shouted above the gunfire from nearby Cornerian soldiers as they fired up at the windows of the buildings from entrenched Marines.

They dove behind the corner of another building alongside another group of soldiers, where the medics had set up a makeshift medical centre and were treating the grievously wounded. For a moment Fox forgot what was happening around him when he saw how hideously injured a few of the soldiers were, where they were missing limbs, eyes and had burns stretched all over their bodies. The sound was that of cries of pain and despair, and the smell of burnt, fried flesh and blood.

"Oh good lord," Krystal groaned, gripping his bolt pistol.

_You still there, McCloud? Pick up the damn com!_

"Yeah," Fox responded, gripping his blaster, "We're heading for the star port now. I'd much appreciate it if you give us some cover."

_Yeah…hang on…receiving orders from high command. We're evacuating the planet, _the other line replied, _Any and all surviving military personnel are to regroup at Site #2 for immediate preparations and redeployment._

"So Pepper's declaring war only after we've retreated?" Falco asked, "That's just swell."

Fox glanced over at Falco, before answering into his communicator, "Roger that."

_And yeah…I'll cover ya'. Good luck!_

Just as Fox and co. looked up at the sky to see the Cornerian fighter flying around the area in circles, the Cornerian soldiers begun to abandon their positions where they ran past them into the alleyway and reaching for their wounded comrades.

"Hey!"

Fox felt a Cornerian soldier tap him on the solder. He looked down to face the fear-filled dog, where he was covered in blood, but luckily not his.

"Give us a hand with the wounded," the soldier cried, "The humans will breach the perimeter any minute now. And our weapons can barely even break those Marine's armour, let alone hold em' back."

Fox nodded, "Alright."

"Where will we move them?" Katt asked.

Before the soldier could answer the wounded all cried out and cursed in fright as they saw something standing from the roof of the buildings and staring down at them. It was a Horror daemon of Tzeentch, and it's almost rubbery mouth extended widely in preparation to consume everybody in the alleyway. Katt aimed her blaster upwards and fired, blowing the daemon apart; where the individual pieces begun to fade away.

The soldier shook his head, relieved that that sudden interruption was over and responded, "There's an armoured convoy at the end of this alley. They're not gonna wait for long…"

Falco frowned and holstered his blaster, making sure his hands were free to move the wounded, "So let's haul ass already."

----------

Meanwhile in an undisclosed location somewhere on the planet, the alarms were so loud it was enough to burst anyone's eardrums. Heavily armoured and armed Cornerian troopers rushed through the facilities many hallways and security checkpoints towards the main front entrance. All of them were equipped with heavy blaster rifles, gatling guns and rocket launchers, with determined hearts beating in each of their chests.

_Attention all personnel, the announcement system bellowed, Imperial forces approaching secure facility. Possible enemy strategy is the acquirement of **Artifact #1**. Defend it at all costs…with your lives if necessary._

"YOU HEARD THE LADY!" the officer cried as he ran with his troops, blaster drawn, "GO, GO, GO!"

The lobby area was completely filled with Cornerian troops, where all weapons were aimed at the door. Tthey could hear the humans on the other side pounding away at the door, where it was slowly being dented inwards. No drop of fear was evident on these Cornerians, as they were the elite of the planet's military forces, reserved only to defend what truly matters:

What is was that laid in the centre of this 'secured' complex.

"Don't let these humans take one step through the door!" the officer ordered.

The pounding grew even louder as all fingers tightened on the trigger, where it wasn't possible to see the fear on the Cornerian's faces due to the helmets they wear, and that behind them they weren't showing any fear at all. The door was suddenly blown off the hinges, revealing a crimson light, which bathed the entire lobby, and would have turned anyone away, except for these troopers.

"FIRE! ALL GUNS LIVE!"

The troopers fired their weapons towards the doorway, fingers pressed on the trigger and the glow of their weapons adding to the crimson light. The officer fired his blaster at the doorway, hoping to have hit something. After half-a-minute…

"CEASE FIRE!"

The trooper did so, immediately upon lowering their weapons did something emerge from the doorway, where it seemed that the immense blaster fire didn't affect him at all. The officer's eyes widened.

"Holy shit," he said softly.

He appeared to be a very colourful, vibrant looking Chaos Marine, only that he was wearing a cape, what appeared to be a long kilt, and an oddly shaped helmet that almost looked like a beak. He had a radically different kind of power backpack and was armed with what appeared to be a staff – A Bedlam staff to be more precise, which it had the 'Eye' embedded into it.

'That can't be Imperium!' the officer thought alarmed.

"So," the 'Librarian' said hautily in a dark tone of voice, "I can tell from your silence and your lowered weapons that it is my move."

He gripped his staff.

"So be it then."

"NEVER!" the officer cried, "SHOOT!"

The Cornerians all fired at the Librarian, where the Chaos lieutenant projected a shield around him and it absorbed all their blasts. The Sorcerer suddenly begun to chant in an unknown dialect, when suddenly his staff glowed red and fired a bolt of Warp-powered lightning at the officer. He screamed in agony, before he was reduced to ash.

The Librarian then extended his glowing hand forward and fired a 'Chain of Torment' at all the Cornerian troopers present, which each and every one of them felt their bodies stiffen and they were frozen in their places, where their weapons dropped harmlessly from their hands. It was then that they begun to panic. The Sorcerer stepped out of the way of the door.

"Come, my children," the Librarian said, "Come accept what the Gods reward you for your conversion."

Cornerian soldiers in their dozens ran into the room, each one's mind corrupted and warped by the Ruinous Powers, and it showed through their glowing red eyes, tainted armour and weaponry. Each one cried out as they charged at the defenceless and unmoving Cornerian elite troopers, where they begun to attack them with their rifle butts and their combat knives.

One trooper yelled out in mercy as the felt his former colleagues shoved him onto the ground and tore of his helmet, where they slit his throat and allowed him to bleed out onto the floor. The other troopers each shared a similar, albeit different fate; with some simply being beaten to death and some more was mercilessly cannibalised on.

The screams of agony and terror were horrible to hear; yet it sounded nice to the ears of the traitor Cornerian Defence Force soldiers and the Chaos Librarian, who smiled wickedly from behind his helmet. He then clapped his hands together and the traitor Cornerian soldiers looked up from the one-sided carnage they were inflicting.

"Now, loyal followers of the Chaos Gods," the Librarian begun, "Each of them has given you a grand, important and enlightening task, where upon completion it will play a part in our final conquest of this system, and the entire universe."

A Cornerian sergeant stepped forward, where he got down on his knees and asked, "What do they ask of us, Grand Librarian?"

"Recover the Sphere of Power for the Despoiler," the Librarian ordered pointing towards what laid beyond the first security checkpoint, "It is in the bowels of this facility. The Chaos Gods demands the first key to victory!"

The traitor Cornerian cried out in acknowledgment and pumped their fists in the air, where they picked up their weapons and begun their attack on the facility, leaving the bodies of it's first wave of defenders lying in a pool of blood in the lobby. The Librarian watched with glee as they took off with full Chaotic spirit.

He shook his head gently and felt like grinning, "Mindless. Absolutely mindless these aliens. Convert them to teachings of the Warp and they will eat out of your hands."

_That's what makes them valuable in their own right, Librarian. That's what makes all simple-minded creatures valuable in the service of the Dark Gods. Now…the artifact?_

'Being acquired as we speak, my lord,' the Librarian responded mentally, 'The slaves have got this task covered.'

Suddenly a shrill scream of terror pierced the air, followed by the sounds of gunfire and maniacal laughter.

'And they will not take very long,' the Sorcerer added with a smirk, where he walked towards the facility, stepping over the bodies.

By chance he noticed that one of the troopers was still alive, albeit with half his face missing and having lost most of his blood. He moaned out loud in agony, he then noticed the Sorcerer standing above him, holding his glowing staff in his hand, where the Eye begun to glow brightly and raised it above his head. Crimson energy spewed for it.

"PREPARE TO MEET WHATEVER YOU WORSHIP, ALIEN!" the Librarian boomed.

As if it was blessing, the trooper mind went blank and he passed out, just as the Librarian/Sorcerer struck forth with his staff. The avian trooper felt no more pain…which would be no longer possible since he was now dead and his corpse was all over the place, adding to the already sickening mess of blood and mutilated bodies.

----------

Mass panic was evident at the star port where civilians fled from the burning city towards it's grounds, closely pursued by Chaos forces, where Cornerian army units did their best to keep them at bay long enough for them to get behind the safety of the star port walls. The walls in turn were receiving a massive pounding from the artillery courtesy of the Defilers, which were slowly approaching the port from all sides, followed closely by Havoc heavy weapon squads. The Champion accompanying them gripped his power sword, determination swept over his face. He saw the dozens of Cornerian transports ascending upwards into the sky escorted by Cornerian fighters, where anger crossed his worn-with-corruption face.

"Let none of those furries escape the planet!" he ordered angrily, raising his sword into the air, "Their blood must spill and make this world holy in the name of…."

Suddenly he received a sniper round to the head, which blew his head apart, courtesy of a Cornerian sniper from atop his the walls. As the body fell, the sniper fired again and killed another Havoc, where he quickly took cover, where he exhaled gently, trying to calm himself after seeing the sight of so many Chaos troops approaching.

"ALRIGHT, OPEN FIRE!" the sniper cried.

Hundreds of Cornerian soldiers armed with gatling guns, missile launchers and sniper rifles taking cover at the wall emerged and begun firing at the approaching Chaos forces. The Havocs opened fired with their heavy weapons, blowing more chunks out of the walls and sending Cornerians flying. One Havoc fired his shoulder-mounted lascannon and sent four Cornerian flying, where he in turn was hit by a rocket, where it plunged itself into it's chest before it exploded, leaving nothing but two standing legs.

"KEEP FIRING!" the sniper ordered, "Keep firing…"

"LOOK! UP IN THE SKY!" another soldier cried out.

He pointed up at the sky where dozens of jetpack equipped Chaos Marines, affectionately known as 'Raptors', appeared in the air and flying towards the wall, each one brandishing a chainsword in one hand and a boltpistol in the other.

"RAPTORS!" the champion leading them cry, "THROW DOWN THE PORT'S MISERABLE DEFENDERS! SHOW THEM ETERNAL DAMNATION!"

The Raptors cheered as they dove down towards the walls, where before the defenders could react a few of them were immediately ran through with the chainswords as the Raptors landed on the walls. The remaining defenders quickly turned their attention towards the attackers, realising that rifle-butts proved to be no contest against rusty chainswords as the defenders were systemically torn to pieces. One Cornerian soldier was hurled from the walls, still alive, onto the ground outside the star port, where immediately he felt the foot of a Havoc come crashing on his head and crushing it like a melon.

The sniper-commander immediately saw a Raptor take a liking to him, where he dropped his rifle and pulled out his heavy blaster and shot the chainsword out of the Raptor's hand. The Raptor growled in fury before he lifted his hand holding the boltpistol and fired, putting an eight-inch long bolt through the sniper's chest. The sniper gritted his teeth in pain and fired again, hitting the jetpack behind him and causing it to explode, blowing out the Raptor's back, where he screamed in pain and fell off the wall.

The sniper soon succumbed as well, where another Raptor attacked from behind and sawed him in half across the torso, where he was killed instantly, where his torso was flung over the walls as well, but his legs were still standing on the wall.

From the control room the personnel were panicked upon seeing the Chaos Raptors fly over the walls. And the head air traffic control man was the first make his fear known, where he took a few steps away from the window, before he spun around and dashed for the exit, leaving his colleagues rather dumbfounded.

"Er…" the next technician said, "Should we be…?"

Before he could finish, a trio of Raptors flew towards the control room. Screams went all around as the technicians all abandoned their stations and ran for the exits, where five technicians instantly cut down once the Raptors smashed through the windows. A minute later a precise artillery strike hit the base of the tower and one explosion later it toppled over and smashed the northern wall down.

The remaining Cornerian forces were immediately sent into frenzy as Chaos forces poured in through the hole in the wall, where they were accompanied by a Chaos Lord, who seethed as he held gripped his large, rusted mace in his hand.

"Go, my minions!" the Lord exclaimed, "Kill everything you see! SPILL THEIR BLOOD AND TAKE THEIR SOULS!"

The panicked civilian masses turned on their heels and attempted to flee the star port, where both Cultist and daemonic forces immediately set upon them. The soldiers fought their hardest against this evil tide. Laser, blaster and bolter rounds sprayed around the entire entrance area of the star port, Cornerian bodies fell in their masses.

----------

Back in the city Fox gripped his blaster rifle as he, the team and the Cornerian soldiers battled their way down the street alongside the convoy of APCs, their gun emplacements was blazing away at the enemy forces which came from all sides. His communicator's channels was bogged down with nearly limitless distress beacons, proving once and for all that Corneria City was not the only population centre to be hit, and that the entire planet was under the Chaotic grip of the boltgun and the sword.

_This is Epsilon City; we're under attack here! Imperial forces are…_

_Nova Base, we're under heavy bombardment by human aircraft! What are our orders, command, over!_

_Dear God, what it happening? Corneria City, do you copy? Acknowledge this transmission!_

Taking cover near the APCs, Fox and co. carefully picked their shots and fired. Fox to take down a Chaos Marine with two shots to the forehead, before he hit the legs of another Marine and brought him onto his knees, where a barrage of heavy blaster fire courtesy of the APCs finished him off. A Cultist managed to avoid fire and get close to the APCs, where Krystal kicked him across the face and sent him down on the ground, where she aimed her blaster and shot him in the neck.

"God, these Cult groups are relentless," Krystal cried.

"Yeah!" Falco agreed loudly, before he banged on the nearest APC, "Can we get a move on? These things are bolter magnets!"

Cool your jets, Lombardi, Falco's communicator cried, We're up to our seams with wounded here and besides, the star port's just up the next road, leading out of the city. Oh fuck it…everyone climb on top, we're slamming the pedals down!

Fox and co. complied, where they climbed on top of the APCs. The second they got settled on top of the armoured vehicles they immediately picked up speed and continued down the street, where they took another left and went down the road which led to the star port, where they were immediately confronted by a pair of Predators.

_I got your six, McCloud!_

The fighter swooped in and launched a bomb, quickly decimating one of the tanks, but the other lined up it's cannon at the APCs.

"QUICK GET OFF!"

Fox and co. along with the other Cornerian soldier hopped off the APCs and managed to get clear just before the surviving Predator blew the APCs to pieces, scattering pieces of flaming metal and gibs everywhere. Krystal coughed out painfully, before she rushed over and helped Katt up.

"Come on," she cried.

The fighter made another run and fired it's twin lasers, blasting the next tank and blowing it to pieces. Star Fox and the remaining soldiers took cover behind the debris of the APC, where immediately Fox's communicator beeped.

"Talk to me!" Fox exclaimed.

_Fox, this is Peppy,_ the other line responded, and with slight relief, _Please tell me you're still in one piece._

"Not for long, old timer!" Falco chirped in, gripping his blaster, "The convoy carrying the wounded just like totalled."

"And we're just near the star port," Katt added, "And it appears we've landed smack in the middle of the invasion."

_That's because the star port has been overrun!_ Peppy shouted,_ Stay away from that area! You've got to get out of the city now!_

_General Hare,_ the fighter pilot said, where Fox and co. listened in, _What is your situation? Are you all right, sir?_

_Don't worry about me, son,_ Peppy said reassuringly, _Just keep giving Star Fox cover._

_That damn Imperial battleship floating above us is starting to make things difficult,_ the pilot responded hautily, _It's deploying more fighters and what appears to be troop transports._

"And where the heck are you, Peppy?" Fox asked.

_Me, plus the surviving members of high command, have…_

Static suddenly interwove itself with the communications, promptly cutting Peppy off. Fox's eyes widened as he smacked his com.

"Peppy?" Fox queried, then yelled, "PEPPY!"

_Peppy Hare is gone, McCloud,_ a sinister, familiar voice echoed from the com, _He will soon face the Black Legion's wrath._

Krystal gasped, where she noticed uncertainty crossed Fox's face, where he bit his lip as he responded to the person on the other line.

"Abaddon?"

_It is good you know whom it is that is talking to you,_ Abaddon said, sounding smirk, _You have your father's respect and attitude after all._

Falco and Katt looked Fox's way, where the feline asked, "Who's that, Fox?"

Fox quickly shushed her, before he angrily asked, "How the hell do you know my father and what do you want with this planet?"

_Oh, I don't only want this planet. I want all of this system, plus whatever spoils we may garner from this miserable constellation of stars._

"Why? What do you want this 'miserable' system?"

_You will find out, if you live long. And the only way to live now in this new, dark yet perfected realm is to submit your furry hides to the unholy taint of Chaos. Worship me, the chosen champion of the Dark Gods…_

All eyes around Fox's communicator lit up in terror and panic, especially the Cornerian soldiers.

_…and I may grant you and whomever's left on this rock leniency._

Suddenly Chaos fighters appeared and begun to chase after the Cornerian fighter, where it's pilot shifted into eye gear and flew off. Those on the ground watched with horror as they only means of cover was chased off.

_Sorry!_ the pilot cried, _I gotta shake these bogeys! Get out of there now!_

Fox found he couldn't speak, let alone control the anger which still had a grip on him, and which was slowly building up inside. Krystal eyes focussed on him, where suddenly she sensed Chaos troops slowly coming in from all sides, accompanied by their warp-spawned servants.

_I can sense by your silence and your anger that you don't wish to join us. Very well, your bodies will make excellent firelighters for the Alter we plan to build here on Corneria. Traitors, OPEN FIRE!_

At that a Cornerian soldier's head exploded as a foot-long bolt struck him, splattering blood all over the other soldiers. Fox gripped his blaster and raised his head from cover, to find several 'Death Guard' Chaos Marines, whose armour was coloured a sludge green, charging their cover. He and his comrades opened up with their blaster rifles, Krystal with her boltpistol and Katt with her customised blaster. The feline fired a powerful charge shot and blew a hole in the Marine's chest, where despite not feeling pain, feel forward and died.

"DAMN IT,THE GUNS AREN'T EVEN SLOWING THEM DOWN!" Falco shouted angrily.

"Keep firing!" a Cornerian soldier cried back, "We're ought to eventually punch through."

Krystal sensed taint coming in from behind…

"BEHIND US!"

…she and Falco spun behind to see several Cultists, laspistols drawn. She frowned and fired away, sending a bolt flying towards one Cultist's head and another through his chest. Fox stopped firing at the Marines attacking forward to help finish off the Cultists attacking from the rear. One Cultist dove at Fox, the vulpine immediately clubbed him down with his rifle butt.

Falco ducked behind the APC wreckage to reload his blaster. When he looked over again…

"SHIT!"

…a Champion dove over the cover and tackled Falco. He felt the wind knocked out of him as he felt the champion's weight crush him whilst laughing diabolically. Falco frowned and reached his hand forward, and with all his might he snapped the champions head, where before the Chaos servant died, a look of shock crossed his face.

"Will someone please help get this fucker off me?" Falco cried out, feeling the weight crush him.

----------

Sitting in the bridge of the Great Fox, ROB watched on the main screen the carnage happening outside the walls of the hangar. Captured Cornerian soldiers and civilians were being herded onto the star port ground, guarded by World Eater traitor Marines and their Bloodletter servants. If ROB could feel emotion, he would feel utter sadness and devastation as those innocent and defenceless people started to feel the blade cut into them as the Chaos forces performed what they believed was a mass sacrifice.

The screams and sounds of women wailing and children crying as their blood spilled on the asphalt was enough to convince ROB that there was no way that Star Fox would be able to return. He saw that the hangar entrance was slowly behind melted by the Havocs from outside as they fired their lascannons. Calculating fast, ROB activated the engines of the Great Fox and disabled the ships restraints.

Suddenly two squads of Chaos Marines busted in from the hanger's side doors.

"The mercenaries' command ship!" one of them cried, aiming his heavy bolter up at it.

"Bring it down!" another cried, reloading his missile launcher and prepared to fire.

As the Marine opened fired at the Great Fox it accelerated forwards and smashed through the weakened hangar doors, sending pieces of melted metal and Chaos forces everywhere. It headed upwards into the air, ROB had set it on autopilot and directed it towards the city, where the fighting begun to lessen as the Cornerian troops that had stayed behind on the planet was almost obliterated.

"Preparing Transmission chamber for immediate interception," ROB announced to himself, "Lives are in extreme danger."

----------

Krystal felt breathless as her mind crashed as she sensed the agony and death at the star port. She dropped he gun and fell to her knees. Tears begun to form in her eyes as Fox fired and killed another Marine with a charge shot to the head, when he noticed Krystal had fallen.

"Krystal!" he exclaimed, "What's wrong?"

The vixen looked up at him with emotional eyes, as if pleadingly, "Innocent people…are dying, Fox. Women and children…screaming. I…can feel their...their…oh God…"

She then clutched the sides of her head and suppressed the urge to scream out in torment, feeling their pain. Her sixth sense was allowing her to experience the feelings of others, and right now those others were the unfortunate evacuees who had been apprehended at the star port, and whom was being butchered right now.

Fox's eyes widened, before he gritted his teeth and got back to fighting; now more willing than ever to kill these servants of Chaos. Suddenly he felt himself get lifted from the ground as he, Falco, Krystal and Katt were thrown from an explosion courtesy of a grenade, which killed the other remaining Cornerian soldiers.

He groaned in pain when he tried to lift himself up, only to feet a Chaos Marines boot on his chest and press him back down. Marines stepped up to each of the Star Fox members, who aimed their bolters down at their faces. Frightened, Katt could only whimper as she silently prayed for a quick death, whilst Falco looked up at the Marine with a look of vehemence. Krystal was too preoccupied with trying to silence the cries of agony in her head to even care if she was to die. And Fox…

"Damn," he groaned, "Not like this!"

The Marine took off his helmet to reveal a young looking grinning Marine, whose eyes were blackened over with years of living within Hell, or correctly known as the Eye of Terror. He moved his foot so that it was over Fox's head, as if preparing to stomp it.

"Damn indeed, Loyalist pawn," the Marine replied smugly, "Your hell as awaits you."

The Marine brought his foot up and then sent it down toward Fox's head, where the vulpine closed his eyes and prepared for oblivion. But it never came…

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF…?"

Upon hearing the Marine curse out loud, Fox opened his eyes and found that he, Falco, Katt and Krystal weren't lying down on the broken road, rather in the vehicle transmission chamber of the Great Fox. Katt was the first to get up on her feet, a large smile crossing her face.

"We're alive!" she exclaimed, "Thank God."

And with that she helped Falco up on his feet, who groaned slightly and gave a rather smile, while Krystal sixth sense begun to tone down. She looked around herself and was relieved to be out of the city, but her fear returned tenfold when she noticed that Fox was still on the ground. She scrambled over to him and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Fox? Fox!" she cried, feeling tears roll down her cheeks again, "Please still be alive."

The vulpine opened his eyes, where he was greeted by Krystal's smiling visage. Fox smirked slightly.

"If I said anything bad about the ship's transmission system," Fox remarked, "I take it back."

Krystal snickered joyfully and threw his arms around his neck, handing him profusely and glad that they were still alive and not at Chaos' mercy. Fox moved his arm around her waist and allowed her to help him back onto his feet, when suddenly the area shook as something struck the Great Fox. Fox let go of Krystal and stood up on his own two feet by himself.

"Damn it, we're not clear yet!" he noted, before he said into his communicator, "ROB?"

_Online._

"We're coming up to the bridge."

Fox, Falco, Krystal and Katt made their way though the ship towards the bridge. All the while trying to keep their balance as the hull of the Great Fox continued to shake as it received enemy fire, especially from the large battleship that still hovered above the city, and above the Great Fox. They saw this for themselves when they burst into the bridge.

Fox's eyes widened as they looked at the main screen, which showed that they flying above the city, but below the large Chaos battleship which were firing at them from above. Fox quickly sat down on his command chair.

"Hang on everyone!" Fox cried, "We're getting hell outta dodge!"

Falco rolled his eyes and groaned as he sat down and strapped himself again, reminiscing the last time Fox took manual control of the Great Fox, "Not again!"

The Great Fox fired up his boosters and begun to steer away from underneath the battleship, which it was still firing it's torpedos as it charged up it's lances. Determination was evident on Fox's face as he piloted the frigate, not caring about the enemy fire which came from the city, as it only consisted of bolter rounds and rockets. Once the sky above the Great Fox was clear, Fox piloted it upward towards the atmosphere.

"Good going, Fox," Krystal said smiling, when suddenly a klaxon blurted out, "Oh no."

"Two strike cruisers en-route for interception," ROB announced.

Fox nodded, "Prepare to launch warheads batteries, ROB."

"Affirmative."

The heat of the atmosphere begun to sizzle away at the Great Fox, where as it continued it's ascent, those on board tried to work out within their minds what the was going. At the same time the full situation was evident to them. The Ruinous Powers of Chaos, the pure evil that was described, and partly thwarted, by Jacques Mortensen, was invading Corneria and was bringing with it death and destruction on a massive scale unlike any of Corneria's previous attacks.

But how could have they come through into the Lylat System if the Eye of Terror, which was located on the other side of the universe in the Imperial Cadian star system, was said to be the only gateway between the material universe and the Immaterium? There were so many questions that they all believed that they would not receive the answers right away.

"We're breaking through the atmosphere," Katt said, checking the nearest console, "And just like Mr. Boltbucket said, we got two mini-cruisers moving our way."

The Great Fox exited the planet's atmosphere, immediately it was struck by multiple lance blasts courtesy of two 'Infidel' cruisers which, as predicted, had been waiting for them. Luckily the Great Fox's shield managed to hold, where it steered towards them and outer space. The Infidel's moved forward to intercept.

Fox saw on the main screen the two cruisers heading his way. Immediately his finger hovered above the **LAUNCH WARHEADS** button. He felt sweat roll down his finger and land on the bright, red button. He glared daggers at the ships when he noticed their lances charging for another shot, and when suddenly he felt something grab hold of him.

His eyes widened when he couldn't figure out what was happening to him. Fox felt chills run up and down his spine where his mind suddenly went blank and he felt his eyes roll back into his skull. ROB was quick to point it out to the rest of the team.

"I am detecting heat decreasing within Fox's body," his mechanised tone of voice remarking, "Neurological anomalies detected as well."

Krystal's panicked when she saw Fox. She rushed over to him and shook him roughly by the shoulders.

"FOX!" she cried, "WAKE UP!"

Fox felt his control slowly returning to himself.

"Wha…Krystal?"

"FIRE THE DAMN MISSILES ALREADY!" Falco cried before shaking his head in frustration, "AH FUCK IT…"

Without thinking, Falco dove over to Fox's chair and pushed down hard on the red button, deploying a payload of high-explosive warheads that hurtled towards the cruisers. Fox shook his head and steered the Great Fox out of harms way as the Chaos cruisers fired their lances, only to blow a chunk out of the ship's two left wings.

The lance batteries didn't vaporise the missiles, however, and they continued their route towards the cruisers. Before both Infidels could take evasive action, they were struck by the warheads, which tore through their shields and blew holes in their hulls. If he were in the mood, Fox would have rejoiced, but then…

"Fox, look," Krystal said softly, "The Orbital Gate?"

"What in the world…?"

As they continued their ascent from the planet their eyes laid on the main screen which displayed the active orbital gate. More Chaos warships were emerging from the red coloured displacement field, accompanied by hundreds of smaller fighters and cruisers. Fox, Katt, Falco and Krystal stared wide-eyed as what would be considered the end of Lylat's days was slowly pulling in from the Eye.

"How…how is this possible?" Katt asked.

Falco shook his head, "It shouldn't be."

Krystal's pupils diluted when she was experiencing yet another vision.

"No," she moaned slightly

----------

What Krystal could see were the Gods of Chaos – **Khorne**, **Nurgle**, **Slaneesh** and **Tzeentch**, standing side by side on barren world located within the Eye of Terror. Surrounding them was hundreds more tainted battleships. At their feet were thousands and thousands of Traitor Marines, Cult groups and daemons. And each of them was smiling as they tapped into her mind.

"What seems to be the matter, Princess?" the vicious Blood God Khorne said smirkingly, "Shocked to see the butchers of your people once again? You should be, Cerinian Psyker."

The bloated God of Decay and Rot Nurgle frowned with contempt, "We have come to finish what we have started with this system all those years ago. And this time, we will succeed."

The intersexual God of Pleasure Slaanesh crossed his/her arms, "After we've dealt with you, the Imperium and your human protectors will be next. They and the False Emperor will not see their doom approaching."

Tzeentch was the last to speak, where the God of Sorcery finished off with the words, "So prepare yourself for your oblivion's embrace. For Chaos shall rule this universe and wash away those who oppose us…with their own blood."

----------

Krystal's vision ended once the Gods and their masses of servants all begun to laugh maniacally and loudly from within the eye. Krystal screamed out loud and stepped back, bumping into the walls. All eyes turned to her, both surprisingly and in complete shock, where Katt had almost jumped at her outburst.

"Fox?" Krystal uttered.

Looking from his seat, Fox nodded slowly, "Yeah?"

"Get us out of here…now!"

The Chaos warfleet steered themselves towards the Great Fox, as they tried to advert them they were quickly set upon by tainted Fury starfighters, followed close behind by Starhawk bombers, each one lugging their deadly anti-starship missiles. Those on board the Great Fox felt themselves being shaken about as they were hit from all sides.

"We're surrounded!" Fox exclaimed, "Damn."

"And don't **they** know that," Falco pointed out, nudging his head towards the main screen.

They saw that possibly the entire Warfleet of Chaos was charging up their lance cannons for the last time, and they were gunning straight for them. The situation was clear to each of the Star Fox team: Whilst Corneria burned brightly below them and they were doing nothing to stop it, they were about to erased from the face of the universe as they were trying to flee.

A sense of fatalism came over the Quattro, where Krystal shook her head softly.

"Forgive us, Corneria," Krystal whispered softly into the air, "We've failed you."

Fox's ears picked that up, immediately he felt determination grab hold of him once again. He begun typing away at his console. Falco lifted his head up from staring at the ground and looked straight the command chair and the individual seated in it.

"Er…Foxie?" Falco spoke cynically, "You do realise you're putting the ship into warp?"

Fox nodded and smiled slightly, "Yeah."

"And you haven't pinpointed a destination?"

"Nah! So I suggest you guys pray we die trying to escape…"

They felt the ship vibrates even harder around them as the Warp drives activated and the field it produced took a hold.

"…and not by the oversized lasers of a fleet of flying museum pieces!"

Falco, Katt and Krystal once again grabbed hold of something as the Great Fox accelerated forward and smashing through any fighter that got in their way. The warships all fired their lances at the Great Fox, where the beams surprisingly passed through the ship as if it was a ghost. Fox glared as he gripped the armrests of his chair.

Fox closed his eyes, "Here we go!"

The Great Fox initiated warp, it's top speed increased tenfold and suddenly it sped off away from the planet, in the process boring through a Murder Class Cruiser and rendering it in half. The ship then disappeared into the distance away from the planet, whilst the planet burned even brighter than Solar as it's cities burned.

And the rivers flowed with the blood of those who were unable to escape during those early hours of the invasion. And standing from his seat in the bridge of his command ship, the Despoiler himself revelled in his conquest of conquering these aliens…and that of the cowardice of the Star Fox, the only ones who were ever able to defend it.

As he watched the Great Fox lightspeed itself away from Corneria, only one word crossed his smug mind as his Power Claw glowed with the taint that circulated itself through him and his dark-coloured, Terminator armour.

"Predictable."


	7. Chapter 6: Jakob Of The Greater Good

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_A/N: Thank you for your reviews, your feedback and your continued support.__  
Hope you like this rendition of 'Shas'la Jakob', SF Ghost._

* * *

Chapter 6 – Jakob Of The Greater Good

* * *

Each must find their own way, if those in our heartland had witnessed the savageries of the void as have we they would know this. The hand of each of the great starfarers is turned against the other, none will join their strength together just to see their ancient enemies prosper. Neither should we.

_- _**Shas'O Vior'la Shovah Kais Mont'yr, Commander Farsight of the Tau Empire**

This is Kyra Stryker with breaking new, broadcasting from the emergency studio of the Cornerian News Network on Katina. Corneria has been invaded by the Imperium. I repeat: The Imperium of Man has invaded Corneria. Confirmed reports of Cornerian/human engagements across the planet are flooding in, where nearly 90 of planetary defence forces have been decimated by human ground forces, while half of the Cornerian Defence Fleet has reported to be razed…

Clad in his lab-coat, the young scientist of a fox tore down the hallway towards the mess hall, handheld portable radio in hand. His heart beat painfully against his chest as sweat ran down the sides of his face. He felt like he was going to urinate in his pants after hearing the news on the radio, which was still broadcasting.

Slippy and Amanda sat opposite one another as they ate their tuna salad, where every once in a while they would take a glance at one another, where upon the other noticing the other was looking, they would look away and blush. The other people sitting in the mess couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed by the couple's behaviour.

The scientist kicked open the folding doors leading into the mess radio in hand, which shook Slippy and Amanda out of their trance. He frowned and turned towards the scientist, surprised to see him looking panicked.

"Hey, what gives?" Slippy asked.

Horror crossed the scientist's face as he pointed to the radio, "Listen everybody!"

…it is confirmed that 10,000 people are missing, while four times are confirmed to have been killed in the fighting which has devastated Corneria City. Imperial forces continue to ravage the countryside, laying waste to nearly every farm and agricultural centre. It believed that thousands more have perished in the rural sectors…

"What the…?" Slippy cried.

Everybody dropped what they were doing and ran towards the scientist, who faced the ground as everyone crowded around to listen to the radio. The scientist felt tears well in his eyes as he listened to his home planet burn.

…_It is not confirmed if Corneria's leaders, whether political or military, have managed to escape from the planet. What can be confirmed is that the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, General Peppy Hare, has ordered all Lylatian citizens to evacuate Corneria, and head towards the outer sectors of the system. Hare has also ordered that all military personnel are to regroup and report for duty to Site #2, where it's location is currently being withheld for now._

Gasp and cries of sorrow went around everybody in the mess, except for Slippy and Amanda, who still sat at their seat and listened to the radio with eyes of surprise, horror and futility. Amanda looked straight at Slippy questioningly, where his mouth was agape in complete and silent shock. Slippy then shook his head.

"Jacques," he spoke softly, "Please, I hope it's not you and your people."

Suddenly Beltino made himself known as he entered through another door, where he looked frantic as all Hell.

"CORNERIA'S UNDER SIEGE!" he stormed out loud, "CORNERIA IS BEING…"

Angry, one of the other scientists turned to him and shouted, "Shut up, old man! We already know the picture."

Peeved, Slippy got up from his seat and yelled back at the scientist, "Hey, cool off, will you?"

Beltino lowered his eyes, "No, Slippy. He has a right to be angry…"

He then looked up at his son and all the scientists and techs in this room, where they all focused on him.

"Our planet has finally fallen to the Imperium," Beltino claimed, "It was only a matter of time before they take over what they believe rightly belongs to them. Dear God…"

Slippy walked over to him and held him by the shoulders as he clutched his head, feeling grief overwhelm him, evidenced when he felt he could no longer stand and he collapsed on the floor and sat against the wall.

"Dad?"

"Dear God Almighty, have mercy on us, please."

The scientist holding the radio eye widened as the new report continued, "Shhh…there's more."

Everybody listened in, where their horror only intensified, especially Slippy's.

Reports coming in that the heroic mercenary group Star Fox was on Corneria, just in time for the Victory Day celebrations. It is currently not known if they were killed during the initial attack if they had managed to escape, though all signs point to their deaths. What is currently known is that according to Wing Commander Dash Bowman of the Cornerian Air Force, is that they put up a valiant fight against the Imperial invaders, before being overwhelmed by Space Marine forces.

Slippy felt devastated as all that information sank in, where he begun to feel physically sick. His best friends in the entire universe were possibly dead. He felt like joining his father on the floor and to bury his head into his hands. But he decided against it, where his sadness suddenly turned to anger. He looked down at Beltino, who looked up at him with slightly teary eyes.

Slippy frowned, "How long till the Bullfrog is prepped for actual combat?"

Surprised, Beltino asked, "It should be combat-worthy and ready to fly now. Why?"

"I'm gonna take the fight to the Imperium."

All eyes centred on Slippy now, especially a very shocked Amanda. Beltino felt his mind snap when he suddenly stood up and faced his son, "WHAT?"

Amanda rushed over to Slippy, "Are you crazy, Slip? You'll get yourself killed!"

Slippy looked at his feet, still feeling angry, "It's better than sitting around here! I've got to do something!"

"Didn't you just hear the radio?" Amanda argued roughly, "You'll be dead before you're even able to fire off a single shot."

"But…"

"I know how you feel Slippy," Beltino said, "But Amanda's right. You will accomplish nothing by charging the Imperium's lance weaponry, and besides I believe Fox and his companions managed to escape them."

Slippy brightened up, "You really think so?"

Amanda smiled reassuringly and patted Slippy on the shoulder, "They wouldn't be called 'Star Fox' for nothing. Besides…"

She focused on Beltino.

"…shouldn't we be trying to locate the remaining Cornerian forces? Site #2…wasn't it?"

"Err…yes, YES! Of course!" Beltino exclaimed, "If we can just organise, we might be able to stand a chance."

He then turned around and made a dash out the door, startling both Slippy and Amanda where they watched him run down the hallway just as the doors closed. The both of them stared at one another questioningly, where they then chased after him, leaving the remaining scientists and technicians standing around in the mess hall, where they listened on to the report…

----------

…as did another individual on the other side of the Lylat System, where his Portable Transceiver was tuned into the local media circuits, which was projecting an image of a rather shaken female News Anchor on the wall. Dressed in a yellow pants and singlet which clung to his rather athletic figure, and sitting cross-legged on his bed as if he had been just been disturbed out of his meditation, he watched the news with sympathy in his eyes and in total silence.

The Cornerian Defence Forces and us here at the Cornerian News Network urge all citizens living in the Lylat area to remain calm and to avoid Corneria at all costs. If you believe to be missing any loved ones, please call our toll-free number and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. We will continue to keep you updated on the situation as it develops.

_  
For now, from everyone here at the news desk, we ask you and your families to stay alert, and Godspeed to you all._

The young person in question was a youthful twenty-one year old man with short, dark-blond hair. He had a mechanical device attached to his, or rather, replacing his left eye, where his remaining right eye was a sparkling blue colour. The technology surrounding his mechanical eye did not appear to be that of Lylat, Imperium or even Chaos. Strange lettering was tattooed all over both his arms, where across his left wrist was what appeared to be rectangular looking wristwatch.

**A/N: Yeah, I gave him a haircut. Hair tends to get in the way when you're fighting, especially in the Gue'vesa Auxiliary Corp. of the Tau Empire. I hope you don't mind SF Ghost.**

He checked the numbers: Four hours, and slowly counting down. He exhaled gently and got off his bed, where he walked into what appeared to be his bathroom. He glanced at himself in the mirror, where he pulled the skin under his right eye down, where he was relieved to have not noticed any irregularities.

'By the Council of the Highest,' he thought, 'Sand does get in your eyes on this wasteland.'

Suddenly, his wristwatch let out a beep, where he tapped it gently.

"Yes?"

_Gue'vesa Shas'la, have you given yourself plentiful rest?_

"As much as I'll ever get out here, Shas'ui."

Good. Shas'O had ordered another expedition team to Sector 43-through-67 here on this planet. The animal life here intrigues him and he believes a few samples are in order to present to the Council back home.

He frowned slightly, "I'll inform the team immediately, Shas'ui. Is there anything in particular Shas'O wants?"

Ahhh, he says he wants to be surprised. But he says it should be at least ten-foot high, and that it doesn't have to be alive, but it has to be at least in one piece.

"In that case, I'll do my best."

Thank you, I'll be seeing you up on the surface. For the Greater Good, Shas'la.

"For the Greater Good, Shas'ui."

He switched off the communicator function of his watch, where he took one last look at himself in the mirror. He then smiled gently to himself, before he frowned slightly. He then spun on his heels and stepped out the bathroom. Near the door leading into room his pushed a blowing blue button, and immediately a compartment in the wall next to the bed opened up. It revealed a yellow/black-coloured robotic-looking Battlesuit in a glass case, complete with helmet. It appeared to have a short antenna sprouting from the side of it, and it's two red-coloured eye holes were situated vertically from each other.

He pushed a button on his wristwatch, the case beeped slightly, where the sounds of mechanical gears could be heard before the glass case opened, exposing the exoskeleton. The young man known by his rank, Shas'la, slowly begun to don the suit, he slid into it from behind, as if it was a bodysuit. It clung to the man's form and sealed itself over him. He sharply remembered that it have felt awkward the first time he donned this kind of armour, but overtime it felt as if he wasn't wearing it all; like a second skin.

He then reached for his helmet. He inhaled his last breath of natural air, before he put it on. Immediately his Heads-Up Display initiated, where it ran through the usual start-up diagnostics.

**Online…Welcome, Shas'la Calth Jakob Sho'ka Gue'la**.

**Life-signs: Normal**

**Suit Status: Durable**

Current Assignment: Expeditionary Force, Vash'ya Titania Current Orders: Notify Team of next mission 

The young man, impeccably known as Sha'la Calth Jakob Sho'ka Gue'la got down on his knees and reached under his bed, where he pulled out a yellow handled-case and he it on his bed. He deactivated the locks on it and opened it. He reached into it and pulled out a very large Rail Rifle; he then loaded it with a plasma clip and slung it over his shoulder.

"Showtime," he said to himself, smiling.

He then closed the case and stepped towards the door, where immediately it opened and he left his room.

----------

Fox opened his eyes slowly, where about a minute ago he had closed them tightly when they made the warp jump from Corneria, and especially when they went through that Chaos starship and sliced it in half. He found that he was still sitting in his command seat, and that his terminal screen was reading **WARP JUMP SUCCESSFUL**.

He let out a massive sigh, relieved that he was still alive. But he then suddenly thought, alarmed…

"Krystal? Falco? Katt? Rob?" he cried out, looking back from his seat, "Tell me you guys are still alive?"

He heard groans come from Falco, before he chuckled, "Yeah, we're still with you, Foxy. "

His fears were quickly put to rest when he found that they were still here, albeit fastened to their seats and, excluding ROB the Robot, that they were feeling a bit nauseous. Katt quickly swallowed her dinner back down. Krystal rubbed her forehead slightly, trying to get her mind and emotions back into focus.

"A…are we…have we?" Krystal struggled to speak.

She looked up and saw Fox's wide smile, where he nodded and unfastened his seatbelt. He ran over to her and helped her to her feet, the both of them embracing impulsively, overjoyed that they were now far away from the Chaos invaders.

"Yeah, we made it," Fox answered, smiling widely.

Falco looked at and frowned slightly, before turning to the seat next to him and to Katt, "Hey, how about helping **_your_** man to his feet, Katt?"

Katt rolled his eyes and let out a mock growl as she got up from her seat and stretched, "Undo you own belt, Beakbrain."

Katt smirked wickedly as Falco folded his arms and let out a humph, "Fine. Hey…isn't that Titania on the screen in front of me?"

All eyes turned to the main screen, immediately they all suppressed a cry of surprise as they found they were hurtling down towards the dustbowl Death World known as Titania. Fox mind flashed when he couldn't help but realise that there was quite a bit of history with this planet, stretching all the way back to the formation of the Cornerian government. Apparently it was a breeding ground for a race of endlessly multiplying, deadly bug creatures, which shared some common traits with the now extinct Aparoid race.

Predating even the Imperial Exterminatus' on Lylat, the Cornerian fleet feared this possible threat and unleashed a barrage of photon-infused bombs onto the surface of the planet, reducing it to a radioactive smear and wiping out these 'bug' creatures, which it's name was now forgotten. As a result the surviving animal species were all mutated and quickly adjusted to the now desert world, which had once been a tropical paradise.

Fox shook his head and he ended his quick, mental history lesson as alarms begun to sound off around him. He leaped over the main console and landed perfectly onto his seat; he gripped the controls. To his shock he found that they weren't responding to him.

"Er…ROB?"

"The Great Fox's engine systems appears to have taken massive damage following our jump from Corneria," ROB informed everyone in earshot, "The ship is now in complete freefall and will crash on Titania in 2 minutes."

"Aw, jeez!" Falco exclaimed, "Must have been when we literally mined our way through that oversized starship!"

"You think?" Fox responded aggressively, before calling, "Everyone to the back of the ship…NOW!"

And with that they all ran out of the bridge and down the hall. Fox could sense that they were now on re-entry towards the planet's surface as the ship begun to vibrate it's hardest, and that the heat was starting to build up.

"Where's the back of the ship?" Katt asked as they ran.

"Freeze storage!" Falco responded, "Where we keep the steaks and the beer!"

Katt's eyes widened, "Sorry I asked."

"Ah, don't give a second thought," Falco responded, the situation unfortunately not affecting his sense of humour.

----------

With his rail rifle in his left hand and a pair of binoculars to his eye-sensors from the other hand, Jakob scanned over the dusty wilderness of the planet from the edge of a cliff. His binoculars suddenly beeped when he focused on a section of the desert, where he smiled slightly and lowered his binoculars. He then gripped his rifle with both hands and stepped away from the cliff, and towards three other humanoids equipped in body armours, another of which was carrying a rail rifle, while the other carried pulse carbines. They were sitting on the ground and checking over their observatory equipment.

One of the other humanoids' helmet was coloured white, where he looked up at La'Jakob.

"Gue'vesa Shas'la, have you found anything interesting?"

"Sure have, Shas'ui," Jakob responded, "Half-a-mile from here. And it's really big."

Another 'Pathfinder' looked up at Jakob and remarked, "That should make for a worthy prize to take back to T'au, eh brothers?"

The others nodded, where Jakob responded, "It would, Tash. Now, are we moving out?"

They all stood up, gripping their weapons, "Set your weapons to stun. Shas'O will be delighted if we take this specimen alive. Now, let's move out!"

As if they were as fast as the wind they pulled out what appeared to be grappling cables. They attached them near the edge of the cliff. They then hooked themselves up they begun to rappel down the cliff face, weapons slung over the their shoulders. Jakob felt his heart pump immensely from this adrenaline rush which was now pumping through him. And he was enjoying every second of it as he was brought face to face with danger alongside his brothers.

'And I'm the only human who gets to experience all this,' he thought smirkingly, albeit slightly sadly when he was realised he was 'the only one'.

"Gue'vesa Shas'la," the Shas'ui called out, "Try to stay focused."

"Apologies, Shas'ui," Jakob acknowledged his slight drift-off, "Just prepping myself mentally."

"Guess brains will be of use once we get down there," Tash added with glee, "Something of this size will bound to take more than just firepower."

Once they reached the bottom they unhooked themselves from their cables and headed towards where Jakob had detected the large mass. They were running across the desert, the sand blowing against their suits, and with their weapons drawn and charged. They began to tread softly when they were a few yards from the large mass.

"Use caution," the Shas'ui said, gripping his weapons, " We take it alive, Gue'vesa Shas'la."

Jakob nodded, where he aimed his rail rifle downward towards the ground, through the sight he could see what appeared to be a large worm-like creature burrowed underground. He squeezed the trigger of his rifle and fired into the sand. Immediately they heard a loud, pained roar and they stepped back some, where suddenly, the creature emerged from the ground, scattering sand everywhere.

"TAKE ACTION!" the Shas'ui cried, "CO-ORDINATE YOUR VOLLEYS, BOND BROTHERS!"

The Pathfinders raised their carbines up at the twenty-foot tall purple-coloured scaled worm creature and fired at it, painfully stunning it. It roared again and brought it's weight down upon the Pathfinders, where immediately they dove out the way as sand was sent flying everywhere. Jakob quickly focussed himself mentally, before he slung his rifle over his back and ran towards the creatures, where as it brought itself back upwards he jumped up on it's back. It suddenly became alarmed and attempted to shake Jakob off, the human holding on fast like a flea. Thinking fast, Jakob turned to his wrist computer and pressed a glowing green **SEDATION **button.

A large hypodermic needle sprung from Jakob's wrist. He gripped one of the worm's scales tightly with his left hand, as he drove the needle into it from behind. His HUD notified him…

ADMINISTERING SEDATIVE SOLUTION 

**LIFEFORM: UNKNOWN MUTANT CREATURE**

The Pathfinders watched as the worm thrashed around in a blind panic, trying to shake Jakob off it's back. But it's efforts were in vain, as it suddenly felt it's muscle relax themselves as the tranquillisers took effect. It loudly collapsed on the ground and exhaled from it's multiple mouths painfully. Triumphantly, Jakob leapt off the worm and back onto the ground, where he dusted his hands off.

The Pathfinders walked up to him, where immediately the Shas'ui patted him on the back.

"Nicely down, Gue'vesa Shas'la."

"Thanks, brother," Jakob replied, smiling behind his helmet.

Shas'ui turned to his wrist computer, "Command, this is Pathfinder Team Mont'da, we've acquired another specimen. Requesting Orca extraction."

_Roger that, Shas'ui, _the other line said, _Two Orcas will be inbound towards your position in a few minutes. What have you got for us this time?_

The Pathfinder glanced over at the sleeping worm, before the Shas'ui replied, "Something very unnatural, and might be worth coming to this dustbowl for. Mont'da over and out."

The Shas'ui switched off his communicator as Jakob stepped over towards the worm. He stretched his hand forward and stoke it's stomach, contemplating the existence of this creature. Judging from the radiation levels on this planet that were found to be now on a moderate, safe level; he immediately deduced that this was a mutated lifeform.

His eyes downcast with pity, where he patted the creature as it's belly rose and lowered as it slept.

"To think that at one time this must have been a creature of beauty," he remarked, heavy sympathy in his voice, "What possessed the people here to put this world to the torch?"

"I haven't the slightest notion, Gue'vesa Shas'la," the Shas'ui emphasised as he stepped up to join Jakob, "But it should go to show how destructive their means of warfare really are."

Jakob rolled his eyes over at the Shas'ui, "You know, that reminds me of this other species and society…which shall remain nameless."

"HEY!"

All eyes turned to Tash, where he was looking up at Solar, are hand over his eyeholes.

"Why in the Greater Good are you looking up at that star?" the other pathfinder asked, "Trying to blind yourself?"

"Something is coming down from the sky!" Tash exclaimed.

Jakob and the Shas'ui looked up towards Solar and adjusted their vision modes so that the glare from the star wouldn't affect their view. They saw the Great Fox II barrelling down from the sky at tremendous speed. The both of them looked at one another questioningly, before they looked back up at it.

"Er…it's coming…straight for us," Tash stumered.

His point was proven when suddenly a piece of the ship landed right before his feet, where he cried out in shock and stepped back. Jakob suddenly ducked to avoid another piece of the wing, while the Shas'ui ordered that they do the sanest thing.

"RUN!"

----------

Krystal shivered in Fox's arms as they sat in the freezer, jersey wrapped around the both of them, as were Falco and Krystal. Noticing her shivering grew with each passing second of sitting in this mini iceberg, Fox hugged her even tighter, which Krystal didn't seem to mind. Falco and Katt followed suit, which didn't surprise Fox.

'Strange that they decide to finally open up to one another just hours before we die,' he thought, counting the time they spend escaping from Corneria.

He then looked down at the vixen in his arms, where he felt a tear slide down his cheek, which immediately froze.

'Well, at least we get to die together,' he thought, still sad and now feeling bitter.

Krystal mind suddenly pierced through his thought, where sadness was evident on her own face, _Don't even start to think like, Fox. There's no way we're going to die today._

"Ten seconds to impact," ROB estimated, before he begun to count down, "Nine seconds…eight seconds…"

Falco rolled his eyes at having to hear ROB count the second he has to live, where he and Katt stared into each other's eyes. He smirked slightly as he insisted, "Please God, let me die now."

Katt nodded and returned the smile, "Me too."

----------

"RUN!"

The Pathfinder grabbed their equipment and begun to run as far as their armoured legs could allow them, completely forgetting about the mutant worm they had just managed to incapacitate. Jakob took a glimpse behind himself to see the Great Fox about to hit the ground, before he looked ahead and begun to run his hardest. The massive boom of the Great Fox hitting the sand was heard, where the Pathfinders were lifted off their feet…

"ARGHHHH!"

…before landing and being buried by the massive amounts of sand which came up from the crash, and hence fell back down. After a few seconds, they fought their way back to the surface and fresh air, where Jakob tore off his helmet and took in gulp fulls of air, before coughing out some sand that had managed to get into his helmet, and into his mouth.

Tash brushed the sand off his suit, while the Shas'ui groaned as he pulled his left leg out from the sand.

"Is everyone alright?" the Shas'ui shouted, "Gue'vesa Shas'la?"

Jakob coughed out loud, before he snapped, "I'm fine! Just…awwwkkkk…"

Just as he expelled some more sand from his lungs, he looked at the fallen form that was the Great Fox, which was sizzling with re-entry heat. Jakob wiped the sand off his brow, before getting back onto his feet, as did the other Pathfinders.

"What do you call that manner of craft, La'Jakob?" the other unnamed Pathfinder asked, gripping his pulse carbine.

Jakob scratched his forehead and narrowed his eyes, where he revealed, "It appears to be a Cornerian A-Class Carrier."

He looked at the stricken craftt, where he saw that the wings were now missing, the main bridge windows were smashed and some of the hull had been melted. He stepped up to the side of the craft where he flicked it, only to recoil when it was still hot as Hell, and that he felt it through his sand-covered body armour.

Jakob brushed some more sand of his suit, before he called back, "Shas'ui, should we call this in?"

"Might as well," the Shas'ui responded, where as he turned to his communicator Tash interrupted him.

"Hey!" Tash cried out alarmed, where he looked at his sensory equipment, which he had quickly reassembled, "There's lifeforms trapped within that metal hulk."

All eyes turned to him, where Jakob shouted out, "You sure?"

"Yes. One of which is in bad shape."

Jakob looked at Shas'ui with panic, where he in turn looked up at the Great Fox, before he shook his head slightly as he contemplated what to do next.

"Should we get them out, Shas'ui?" Jakob asked, hoping that he would say 'yes.'

The Shas'ui nodded and shouted, "Preserve them, and they may take a shine to us."

----------

Meanwhile back toward the orbit the above the fallen world of Corneria, the Despoiler sat on the bridge of his flagship, watching through the main window as more Chaos ship descended upon the planet, where even more were coming from the Orbital Gate. He couldn't help but smile with immense satisfaction, his conquest of Lylat having been assured through the capture of it's capital world.

_My lord, _a voice begun to speak to him through his head, _We have acquired the Sphere from the facility and have…sacrificed…all who have tried to oppose us._

Abaddon smiled, "Well done, Librarian. You've made me, and the Chaos Gods, proud."

But I am afraid to say we may have a problem.

"I don't want to hear failure, Ahriman," Abaddon threatened, where he frowned and clinched his fists, "You should be afraid. You forfeit your life if we have hit a stump in our plans."

_It's the Cerinian, my lord, _Ahriman responded, _If we are to succeed, we must have her if we are to awaken it._

Anger flared up within Abaddon, where he asked angrily, "You dare decide to just tell me this now, Librarian? They just escaped the God's tainted grasp. Consider yourself lucky we have managed to track them."

Then we must act fast. Before I can ever summon the Imperator from its resting-place, we must appease the Gods with the Cerinian's life. 

----------

The Pathfinder climbed up onto the Great Fox, where they travelled upward the slanted Arwing runway towards the bridge, where with it's shattered windows and their duties to take point it was practically inviting to them. Jakob smashed aside a remaining large piece of the window, climbed into the wrecked bridge and they surveyed the scene.

"This shouldn't be a burden to repair," the Shas'ui pointed out, before looking at Jakob and Tash and pointing towards the bridge door, "La'Jakob, La'Tash, scout ahead. Me and Korvash will hold here."

Jakob nodded, where he nudged at Tash and they stepped towards the door. It opened for them, albeit slowly and noisily, and they stepped into the hallway, where the lights flickered on and off. Tash felt the impulse to grip his carbine and keep his finger near the trigger. Jakob looked at him questioningly, his own rifle still slung over his back.

"That won't be necessary, Tash."

"You never know, brother."

They made their way through the hallway, passing by the doors leading into the bathroom. Somehow Jakob felt a strange sense of déjà vu as they slowly took each forward, where his eyes darted left and right, his hands clenching and unclenching as they soon found to be at a junction. Tash noticed Jakob's troubled movements.

"What's the matter, Jakob?" Tash asked, somewhat teasingly, "The flickering lights getting to you already?"

Jakob frowned at his even younger companion, which Tash could see due to Jakob not wearing his helmet, "No. It's something…I…can't put my finger on."

They then suddenly heard loud groaning come from down the hallway, where Jakob checked his wrist sensor and saw that one of the survivors of this downed craft's vitals were beginning to drop. He and Tash begun to jog down the hallway until they come up to steel door, where they could hear slight banging from the other side.

Jakob and Tash stared at the door, where suddenly though it's round window they could see a orange-furred vulpine with a look of agony on his face slamming his fists on the other side. Jakob's eye widened.

"Open the door!" he ordered.

Tash did so, pushing the button to the side. The vulpine immediately fell forward in Jakob's arms, where he was horrified when he found himself to be coated in the vulpine's blood and some frost courtesy of the freezer…

…as Fox had what appeared to be steel rod protruding from his chest. He felt his life begin to slip away from him as some dark-blond haired human gently laid him out on the ground, where he noticed that the human looked at him with distress. As he noticed a yellow-suited humanoid standing behind the human holding a pulse carbine, he smiled painfully.

"J…Jacques?" he mumbled painfully, "Is…is that…?"

He then passed out once again.

----------

"Fox."

What almost seemed like a minute later Fox clawed his way through what felt like anaesthetics, which he laid on what appeared to be a medical bunk, where several strange looking medical devices were attached all over him, including what appeared to be an IV tube and a heart monitor. He found that he was completely stripped of his clothing, save for his boxers and a strip of cloth which was wrapped around his chest and the wound.

His chest ached like hell, which felt abysmal as he tried to breathe, where instead he gave out a loud, painful cough. He opened his eyes, which immediately shot opened when he saw what appeared to be a transparent-looking Bill Grey standing above him, one hand on the side of the bed, and smiling slightly.

"Bill?"

He was dressed in his green Cornerian flight suit, including the helmet but with his visor up. Bill nodded.

"Yeah it's me," Bill said, where he crossed his arms, "I'm glad you're still alive."

Fox felt panic, seeing what appeared to be Bill's ghost before him, "H…how did…?"

"I don't really know, Fox," Bill admitted, looking down at himself, "I'll have to look into that. But now…"

His smile faded and he looked up from the ground and into Fox's eyes.

"You have to wake up."

Fox's eyes widened when he felt his vision blur, before darkness settled in before him. He closed his eyes, where within his own mind he fell fast asleep. Bill shook his head slightly and frowned slightly, when immediately he faded away.

----------

"He's vitals have stabilised. He is going to survive."

"Thank you doctor. Bring him back to the real world."

"I already have, Shas'la Jakob."

Fox opened his eyes once again, where he found he was still confined to that bed. But this time he found the human in the yellow body armour standing near his bed, where a blue-skinned flat face humanoid in a vibrant-looking medical gown standing nearby, and holding what seemed to be a clipboard. The alien doctor noticed that Fox was awake, where he excused himself, leaving the room…which appeared to be the medical quarters

Fox looked up at the human, who was smiling reassuringly.

"Boy, that was a close one, vulpine," Jakob noted, crossing his arms, "If that piece of steel was two more inch to the left, it would have pierced your heart."

Fox groaned, where he tried to sit up, "Ahhh…what…?"

Jakob suddenly looked serious, "I wouldn't try to sit up. You've just came out of serious operation, and you'll probably still be feeling like crap."

"Operation…uhhh?"

"Yeah," Jakob sitting, sitting down on the chair next to the bed, "Not only did we had to remove that rod carefully, we had to reconstruct some of the bone that it pierced through, namely in the chest cavity. But…"

He smiled, where his eyes glanced away from Fox.

"…I think we pulled it off."

Fox smiled painfully, "Hey, thanks…I've got one question..."

"Hmm?"

"Who, or what, are you people?"

Jakob stood up from his seat and stared down at the Fox, as if studying the trainwreck of a vulpine that now lay bandaged in the medical quarters.

"You'll know who we are once you're back on your feet," Jakob said, "I'd say in about a couple of days, so I suggest you spend _all _of that time in bed. But don't worry, you're safe here. We take in all kinds of different people of different species every day."

He then turned and walked away to the door.

"Hey…"

Jakob froze in the doorway, hearing Fox call out to him in a pained tone of voice.

"How about…a name, eh?"

Jakob sighed, "My full name is Shas'la Calth Jakob Sho'ka Gue'la."

Fox's eye widened at hearing that incredibly large, seemingly complicated name. Jakob chuckled gently and turned around, facing him. Using his eye implant, Jacques zoomed on the Fox and was amused at seeing his rather bewildered look.

"You call me Jakob, though," the human smiled, "Now rest."

Jakob left Medical, where the door behind him closed and sealing Fox in the now empty room, leaving him dazed, confused and with a head full of question. Questions such as 'Where was he?' and 'What did they do to him?' and the most startling of all.

"Krys…tal," he moaned, before all that talking made his chest hurt so much that he passed out from the pain, but not before uttering, "I…love you."

----------

In the passenger hold of a Orca transport, Falco, Katt and Krystal still shivered as they sat on the hard benches before the heater, towels wrapped around themselves as they struggled to make their teeth chatter together. It's been nearly twenty minutes and still they were feeling cold, as if they had taken a stroll through Fichina's wilderness dressed in nothing but their underclothes.

Soon Falco stopped shivering, where he sighed out loud and tossed aside his blanket, "Fuck me that was bit of a scare. Thought I was gonna shiver with the cold forever."

Katt glared, "Hey, you can talk, Falco."

Krystal rolled her eyes around, "Perhaps we should be thinking about the more important things."

"Such as?" Katt and Falco responded as one.

"Fox!" Krystal exclaimed, "He had a metal rod right through his chest and he was bleeding out. Last we saw of him he was hauled off by those people in yellow armour. Ring any bells?"

"Ok, ok," Falco groaned, "No need to sound aggressive, Krystal. I'm sure that Fox is ok."

"Can you be sure?" Katt interjected suddenly.

Falco was silent for a few moments, before he cursed out loud and buried his face in his hands, where Katt and Krystal immediately swore they heard him sob quietly. After about a few more moments, Falco lifted his head up.

He shook his head, "No…I'm not sure! There, you happy?"

"I'd be more concerned about what these guys are gonna do with us," Katt interjected with alarm, "Where did you think they took Fox?"

Falco sighed, "Considering he had a rod through his chest, I'd say…"

Suddenly they each felt a sharp jolt, as the ship appeared to have landed. The side door into the transport opened up and a bright shone and bathed the room in yellow. Krystal, Katt and Falco shielded their eyes from the sudden glare, where as the light dimmed slightly they saw a shadowed figure standing in the doorway. It stretched his hand forward and crooked a finger in a 'come' motion.

It then said invitingly, "Come."

They looked at each other questioningly, before staring back at the figure before the light. The figure then turned around and walked away, the light obscuring his form. Katt and Falco stood up from the bench, Katt letting go of their blanket. Krystal looked up them, still questioned.

"There's no point sitting around in here," Katt decided, "Might as well step into the unknown once again."

"What I was thinking," Falco agreed, "You coming, Krystal?"

Krystal nodded, "Yes."

She stood up, and together they stepped out of the room and into the light, where immediately it flooded their vision. It didn't feel like that the light was stinging their eyes, rather it just felt like they were floating in a state of nothingness. Krystal suddenly became distraught when she realised that she couldn't see her hands before her, and when she opened her mouth to speak nothing came out.

Gradually the light faded and they found themselves standing in what appeared to be a technologically advanced hangar bay before a whole troop of Fire Warriors, accompanied by a blue-skinned, flat-faced humanoid dressed in what appeared to be in a royal gown complete with sceptre. The trio immediately felt uncomfortable at seeing so many armoured humanoids complete with slung pulse rifles.

The blue-skinned being just smiled and stepped forward, "Welcome, Lylatians. I trust you've all recovered from your rather unpleasant experience in your ships refrigeration unit."

"Yeah, you can say that," Katt commented, "Thanks for dragging us out of there without shattering us."

"Oh, we've merely played our parts," the blueskin responded, "As did you by moving to the back of the ship prior to the crash."

The blueskin noticed that worry had crossed Krystal face, where she asked, "What have you done with Fox? He's the vulpine…"

"He is alright, Cerinian," another voice chipped in, "He pulled through the surgery."

Falco's eyes widened, where he chuckled, "Surgery?"

Jakob made himself known, where he stood alongside the blueskin, which he bowed his head and immediately addressed, "Celestial Ethereal."

"Gue'vesa Shas'la," the 'Ethereal' responded.

Krystal immediately knew what she had to say to straighten this whole mess out.

"Who are you people?"

The Ethereal, Jakob and the Fire Warriors all turned to the trio.

"Oh, how rude of us not to have introduced ourselves after rescuing you," the Ethereal stated, "We are Tau, the first truly unified race who forever stride to spread our message of hope and peace throughout the stars."

Falco, Katt and Krystal took some time absorb all that and assess the situation. They had just been rescued from their devastated crashed Great Fox by these strange-looking creatures one can easily mistake for a human if they didn't notice they had blueskin and only four fingers on each hand. And they were being way too polite for comfort.

Katt suddenly had a brainwave.

"The Tau?" Katt questioned, before her eyes lit up and a smile appeared on her face, "Of course, I've heard of you."

"You have, child?"

"Well…I've only heard stories, that's all," Katt admitted, "But I never thought I meet the 'Masters of Mecha' themselves."

"Who calls us that?" Jakob asked, hand on his chin in thought.

Katt shrugged, "Everyone. Anyway…"

"What should we call you?" Falco asked, crossing his arms.

"I am Aun'shi of the Ethereal Caste, one of the guiding lights of the Tau Empire," the Ethereal identified himself, "Accompanying this long-planned Expedition Force to gather knowledge on the Lylat System and it's people."

"Expedition?" Krystal asked.

"Of course," Aun'shi responded kindly, "We Tau always strive for knowledge which would benefit those who serve the Greater Good. And to offer other races the chance to become part of the fold, where they will undoubtedly benefit from being part of the Greater Good. "

They turned to Jakob, who at first was surprised when all eyes shifted towards him. He shook his head suddenly.

"Oh…er…" he stuttered slightly, before smiling, "I'm…"

He turned to the Ethereal, who smiled reassuringly at him. Jakob nodded quickly and turned back to Falco, Krystal and Katt, who was now looking at him with much confusion. Krystal immediately guessed that he sought permission from his superior before being able to speak. And apparently he was granted to do so.

"I am Shas'la Calth Jakob Sho'ka Gue'la," Jakob answered, before he quickly added, "But you can me Jakob."

He extended his hand forward, where Falco was the first to shake it.

Falco nodded and smiled, "Hey, man. Falco Lombardi."

Next was Katt, who greeted him with her trademark smile and smooth, almost flirtatious, tone of voice…

"Katt Monroe. Charmed, honey."

Jakob smiled, where as Krystal reached for her hand, his smile immediately faded upon looking into her eyes and feeling her contact upon him. Krystal noticed this as she grasped his hand, where she stared at him, still with much confusion.

"Is there something wrong, Jakob?" Krystal asked.

Noticing his fellow Tau looking at him, Jakob shook his head and shook her hand gently, "No, of course not. It's just that…"

He rolled his eyes around, trying to find the right words.

"…somehow you seem familiar to me."

Krystal eyes widened, "Huh? How?"

"Have we met before?" Jakob asked, letting go of her hand, "I'm starting to receive weird feelings of déjà vu."

Krystal studied him softly, before she rubbed the back of her head gently and chuckled, "You know, so am I. My name is Krystal."

"Krys…tal?" Jakob questioned her name, looking at her closely before he smiled, "I should have guessed."

Krystal smiled, feeling her cheeks burn suddenly at sensing immediately at what he was getting at.

"I thought the Cerinians had been wiped out nearly fourteen years ago," Jakob queried, "By an unholy alliance of Venom, Chaos and the Orkish hordes."

Sadness crossed Krystal's face, before she sighed and replied, "Not all of them."

Jakob's eyes widened, "Oh…I…I hope I didn't offend you. I just thought..."

Krystal nodded and smiled softly, interrupting him, "That's alright, Jakob."

"Anyway!" Falco cut in gruffly, "Thanks for pulling our asses out of the freezer, you guys. God knows what would happen if you guys weren't passing through."

Aun'shi smiled, where he turned to his fellow Tau and said, "We of the Greater Good will always be here. For as long as you remain among us, you are our guests and besides, perhaps you would like to assist us with our research."

Now Krystal, Katt and Falco were starting to become really confused. Surely these 'Tau' wouldn't be so hospitable without at first knowing who they really were. Unless they were psychic and tapped into their thoughts and read through them like some kind of file cabinet, Krystal just had to know and besides…Fox.

"If I may ask," Krystal begun, "Why the gratitude?"

"Because we are Tau, Cerinian."

All eyes turned to the side, where they saw what appeared to be large light-red coloured mecha-like Battlesuit standing in a doorway. It had what appeared to be a battle-cannon for a right arm and a large scythe-like blade for a right arm. It displayed the Tau symbol, albeit slightly modified, on it's right arm, and it was studying the Lylatians carefully."

"Ah, Shas'O Shovah," Aun'shi greeted, "How nice of you to join us."

Falco noticed that his eyes were wide as saucers upon seeing this massive battlesuit standing before them.

"Er…hi," Falco begun, "The name's…"

"I heard your names," O'Shovah said in a rather mechanical sounding voice, "If you wish to know, my full name is Shas'O Vior'la Shovah Kais Mont'yr."

"I think we'll stick with O'Shovah, thank you," Falco insisted.

"That is fine by me," O'Shovah said, before he explained, "I had seen your descent upon this planet from the devastated capital world of Corneria from our observation station."

The trio immediately gasped, where Krystal stuttered, "You…you did?"

"Yes," O'Shovah replied, "We had no idea that the mad servants of Chaos were operating in this sector. We thought it was not possible. But now, it has been proven over wise."

Falco frowned, "And every second we stand here talking about our so-called positions in life those bastards kill the planet a second more. We have to do something before they go after the other planets in the system."

"We have not the strength to take on Chaos, bold avian," Aun'shi admitted, "As we said this is an scientific expedition with only a small detachment of Fire Warriors to protect us. As much as we like to assist you, we would not last long."

"So I take that as a no?" Falco asked cynically, "Aw, great."

Krystal nodded, "Alright. But we'd like be on our way as soon as possible. We need to link up the remains of Corneria's military so we can…"

She chuckled mirthlessly.

"…fight back against Chaos. And possibly die trying to do that."

Aun'shi nodded, before he turned to Jakob, "Our guests are under your direction, Gue'vesa Shas'la. Any questions they ask, you will answer with the full extent of your knowledge."

"It will be done, Highest," Jakob acknowledged, beating his chest in a salute.

O'Shovah then addressed the Fire Warriors in the room, "You are all dismissed. Return to your posts."

And with that the Fire Warriors dispersed and disappeared through the many doorways of the facility. Aun'shi and O'Shovah went through another doorway, leaving Jakob, Katt, Krystal and Falco standing alone in the chamber.

"This has been…er…strange," Katt muttered.

Jakob turned to her and surprisingly added, "Tell me about it."

"What did he mean by 'Gue'vesa Shas'la'?" Krystal questioned curiously, "Why did he call you that?"

Jakob smiled, "He addressed me by my race and my position in Tau society. To you that means 'Human Helper Fire Warrior'. Anyway…"

He stood to attention and cleared his throat. He then spoke with light authority.

"My orders are to not let you out of my sight and to assist you in any way possible," Jakob declared, "And I must say I extend my condolences towards the loss of your homeworld. If I could, I would help you liberate it, but for now I have my directives courtesy of the Aun."

"Where are you keeping Fox?" Falco asked bluntly, and without warning.

"The vulpine?" Jakob asked, slightly taken back, before he replied, "He's in the medical bay and is recovering slowly from his injuries. I'll bring you to him if you want. Your robot is already there by his side."

Krystal nodded and replied kindly, "We'd like that. Lead the way."

Jakob nodded, where they followed him down the hallway and through the nearest door into the base, bringing them with a head full of questions and were more than eager to interrogate this singular human amongst these strange beings. And all the while, they couldn't help but keep thinking about Corneria and all the death and destruction they had managed to flee from. And that how they were going to fix it.

That is, if they could.

----------

Meanwhile approaching Titania at maximum speed, a Repulsive grand cruiser had the planet in it's sights. It's several lance cannons were aimed directly at the planet, where if it wanted to it could blow a chunk out of the world, but the one hundred heavily-armed and battle-hardened Traitor Space Marines within it's hull had their orders. And their Chaos Lord stood on the bridge, where his Cultist crew feared the bolter from the Marines present, as they were hard at work with controlling the ship.

The Chaos Lord was a depressing sight, his centuries spent in the Eye of Terror having emancipated his face to the point he barely looked human, but rather a bald headed, browned over monster. His teeth were all filled quite enough so they could bite through steel. His expression was that of a permanent, evil snarl.

"My lord," one of the Cultists called out weakly from his post, "We are approaching Titania. We will be within it's orbit in four minutes."

"Good," the Chaos Lord said, before he turned to the Sorcerer present, "Inform the troops immediately. We are to capture the Cerinian alive and to bring her before the Despoiler immediately.

"The Princess of Cerinia would indeed make a fine sacrifice to the Gods, my lord," the Sorcerer said with glee, "It would be enough to redeem ourselves of a lifetime's punishment."

The Chaos Lord frowned, where he felt the hand, which he used to hold his scythe itch, "Do not even thing of mentioning Sindri Myr, Artemis. The Alpha Legion was damned even more so when he and that fool Bale lost to the Imperials on Tartarus…"

Determination crossed his face.

"…I will not make the same mistake he did."

"But unlike him, my lord Ezekiel," the Sorcerer commented, "You can trust me."

"I know that, brother," the Chaos Lord known as Ezekiel said, where a dark smile crossed his face as he patted the Sorcerer's shoulder, "We have known each other since the Crusade, my dear Artemis. If there is anyone that I'd like by my side, it's you."

"Don't flatter yourself, my Lord," the Sorcerer known as Artemis said, "Let us acquire the Cerinian and be back on Corneria by the day's end."

* * *

_So what do you think?_

_For those of you who are wondering why there is a singular human fighter among the ranks of the Tau Fire Warriors, you'll find out soon enough, which will shed light on Jakob 'Ghost's history in the WH40K universe._

_And believe me, like the many other heroes in this story, his story will not be pleasant._


	8. Chapter 7: Rocky Defence

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_Edits made__: Number of Tau troops_

_Colour of Grey Knight's cape.  
__O'Shovah's battle plans and war cries.  
Removed Author's Notes_

* * *

Chapter 7 – Rocky Defence

* * *

As they were led through the facility with Jakob as their guide whilst passing by Tau personnel as they went about their daily business, Krystal, Katt and Falco studied the design and architecture of the facility's walls and technology. While the Imperium's was that of a somewhat neo-Gothic palette, the Tau appeared to be that of technological mecha.

Noticing what they were doing, Jakob smiled and asked, "What do you think of the decor?"

Falco shrugged, "Heh, no different than the endless hallways and corridors back at the Cornerian Army HQ."

Jakob frowned, "I sense sarcasm, Lombardi."

Katt smirked, "You better get used to it. With Falco, sixty percent of what comes out of his beak is either sarcasm, cynicism or a disturbing mix of both."

"Gee, thanks," Falco rolled his eyes, "Nicely put, Katt."

Krystal looked with slight disbelief at both the feline and the avian. She was both amazed, and uncomfortable, about the fact that even though Corneria was being made uninhabitable with each passing second and that Fox was lying grievously injured in the infirmary they can still find ways to humour themselves, despite everything going to Hell around them.

She thought reasonably, 'I guess you have to keep your spirits up in these times of 'peace.''

"Jakob?"

"Yes, Krystal?"

"Where are we, anyway?"

Jakob looked over his shoulder, "We're on board the 'Infinity', it's an 'Explorer' class starship, built for observation, data-collecting and, of course, exploration."

"And where are we exactly?" Falco added, "I didn't notice we left the planet when you put us into the hold of a dropship along with a heater and some doonas."

"We're underground, Lombardi," Jakob explained, narrowing his eyes as he felt Falco's mouth beginning to wear him down already, "We've hidden the ship beneath the sands, seeing as how the surface is hostile even to us."

Katt avoided bumping into a Tau engineer, before asking, "How many of you guys are here?"

"Two-hundred Earth Caste scientists, engineers and technicians," Jakob explained furthered, "With one-hundred Air Caste pilots and air crews keeping this ship running. We also have ten Water Caste diplomats on board. And all of them are supported by a Hunter Cadre of five-hundred Fire Caste Warriors, including myself."

"You know that can be considered overkill," Falco chided, "I didn't think you need to bring a small army to 'observe, data-collect and, oh of course, explore.'"

Jakob chuckled, "Overkill? I agree with you. The five-hundred Fire Warriors I mentioned along with me are part of Aun'shi's personal guard as we scoured the universe for the Farsight Enclaves, which consists of two-hundred of his Shovah's own loyal guard."

Falco's eyes widened, "Holy shit! So there's really two companies of troops on this trip?"

Katt's was shocked, 'Of course. I should have known. Commander Farsight was an outcast, along with his forces. Why would the Empire risk sending one of their highest to find him?'

"Anyway we figured the denizens of Lylat were still at each others throats following Venom's and Corneria's civil wars. And of the suspected Imperial activity going on here, which we assume no longer exists. You'll understand why we had to bring the little extra muscle."

"_Instead_ we have the Forces of Chaos drenching this system in our blood," Krystal pointed out grimly, "The same people who probably masterminded Venom's last insurrection."

Jakob looked over his shoulder again at Krystal, "Is…is that so?"

Krystal still couldn't believe that this was even happening. The death of Andrew Oikonny, the devastation of the Venomian Remnants and the destruction of the last Chaos Temple plus the Daemon Gate should have been the end of it. She remembered those words she thought that night when Jacques parted from her once again.

_Thank you, Jacques. You've guaranteed the future._

Now, there possibly wasn't any future to be guaranteed now. Jakob noticed Krystal silence, where suddenly he stopped, and they found themselves standing before the door into the infirmary. One could easily tell that it was a place of healing with what appeared to be a medical symbol was hanging above the door.

The door opened and they stepped in, where they found ROB at Fox's side, where the robot was standing by his bed and looking down at the sleeping vulpine. Krystal was overjoyed at seeing her Fox was still alive. Not even a rod through the chest can bring Fox McCloud himself down, which was what she thought.

ROB turned their way and said, "Greetings. It would appear you had survived the downing of the Great Fox II."

Falco smiled and patted ROB on the shoulder, "Same to you buddy."

He then looked down at Fox.

"What's the deal with him?"

"Vital signs are stable," ROB informed all within earshot, "It would appear he had been operated on in order to remove the metre-long refrigerator handle from his chest cavity."

"Yeah, we were quick about it," Jakob admitted, "That's why we rushed him ahead of you guys and yanked it out just in time. Though, we had to crack his chest open a bit to get to it properly."

"Well we're sure Fox'll like to thank you once he wakes up," Katt grinned, before she seriously asked, "Which is in?"

Fox coughed out loud, startling them. He painfully opened his eyes, instantly fixing his gaze on Krystal, where he smiled painfully and stretched his hand forward towards her. Krystal accepted it, where she got on his knees down to his level and grasped his hand, as if he would he die if she were to ever let go.

"Hey," Fox said painfully, "How's…?"

"Don't speak, Fox," Krystal said, caressing his forehead gently, "You're ok, now. The Tau are taking care of you."

Fox's smiled faded as he suddenly remembered through his chest pains, "Tau? Corneria?"

Krystal's eyes downcast followed by Katt and Falcos. Though Jakob felt nothing towards the loss of Fox's homeworld, his eyes still revealed a slight tinge of sympathy.

"I…don't think there is anything we can do now," Krystal admitted, where she sighed painfully, "Unless…"

She turned to Jakob, he was slightly taken back at seeing the vixen's blue eyes penetrating through his exterior and into his soul. Falco howeve didn't achieve the same effect, as he also looked his way as well.

"Yeah, unless you guys decide to give us a hand while you're out here 'on research,'" Falco chided, adding emphasis on the last two words of his sentence.

Jakob scratched the back of his head as he eyed Falco sternly, before he replied, "We agreed to help you along your way and that's all, not take on the Forces of Chaos. I hate to say it but once you're out of our hands…"

He looked down at Fox, where his sympathy returned.

"…I'm afraid that you're all on your own."

Falco narrowed his eyes with contempt, "That's pretty harsh, Jakob. And may I officially add unfair?"

Jakob shrugged, "Besides, I don't think Aun'shi and O'Shovah is gonna go with trying to liberate a potential Blood Shrine that used to be a planet and get themselves killed in the process. Though we always strive to serve the Greater Good…"

He continued with a sigh.

"…throwing ourselves before a entire army of blood-crazed Cultists is not the way to buy our tickets to a united universe. Besides, O'Shovah's still on bad terms with the Ethereal Caste and sees war as not the perfect way to gain their favour."

Overwhelmed at what Jakob had just said, Katt muttered, "Fair enough, Jakob."

----------

"I think this time you have really lost your mind, Shas'O Shovah!"

Aun'shi looked at the mecha-clad commander as if he was crazy, before anger built up within the Ethereal councillor that O'Shovah and the Ethereal Chamber's guards swore they could feel the heat of it emitting from him.

"You have us fight the Forces of Chaos entrenched in this part of the universe?" Aun'shi asked again, "The Ethereals sent me to find you and your Enclaves and to bring you all back to T'au in time for you to explain your actions, not to wage war on the Forces of Chaos. We will all die following the first battle's end."

Within the darkness and the cold of his specially modified battlesuit, O'Shovah frowned despite the Ethereal not being able to see it. He argued, "Councillor, from within the confines of this suit I have worn for hundreds of years, I can hear the screams and cries of torment of these innocent people through my communication systems. I can not stand idly by and listen to any more death."

"And you plan to do this by charging Chaos head on?" Aun'shi asked, "And banish your only chance of redemption in our eyes?"

"If that's what it takes," O'Shovah responded, "As we are the Farsight Enclaves. And for the Greater Good, we must save the Lylatians from the twisted servants of Chaos. Only then can they be brought into the fold."

"What makes you think they would want to be governed by us?" Aun'shi demanded, "I've known Lylatians to be quite aggressive when it comes to forging alliance with those outside of their piece of the universe."

"They would have no choice but to become part of the Empire if they want to survive," O'Shovah reasoned calmly, "With the destruction of Lylat's capital world their government system will soon collapse. They will see us as well as the Greater Good as a blessing from the Heavens, rather than enforcement on their wills."

Aun'shi crossed his arms, "And you plan to start with these few Lylatians which are roaming around within our halls?"

"Yes," O'Shovah replied, "I would imagine that they feel as if they have nothing left now, especially the Cerinian girl. I noticed right away that she may be the last of her stock, following Cerinia's unfortunate demise."

"Do not even think of making me sympathise with her loss," Aun'shi growled slightly, "I do not plan to have myself killed fighting for a system which is now more or less teetering on the brink of complete and total destruction by Chaos. I tire of war, Shovah, and this is the last we shall speak of the subject…Commander."

As Aun'shi turned to leave the chamber, O'Shovah called out, "Medusa V was rough on all of us, Ethereal."

The councillor froze in his steps, hearing the name of that cursed world, which he remembered quite vividly of that now dead planet. Where months before it's destruction from a massive Warp Storm they had sent an expedition force under Aun'T'Pel to collect information on the Warpm, the main source of the Imperial's so-called mystical powers, as well as the fuel for the Forces of Chaos.

Whilst they had established a massive presence on the planet through their secret research facilities it was ultimately a disaster. As they had found out it was nothing more than a massive battlefield.

As Aun'shi remembered, all of this was just months ago. Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Eldar, Dark Eldar, Orks, Chaos, Necrons and Tyranids were all fighting on that dying rock. Each for their own reasons, which the Tau gradually came to realise some time after barely escaping the planet with the data they collected.

The oppressive Imperials to evacuate their people and to finally stop Chaos on it's own ground.

The mysterious Eldar to make sure their Webway Wraith Gates were sealed from the spread of Chaos.

The hedonistic fallen Dark Eldar to enslave as many poor souls as they could to bring back to their mysterious home world to use as torture slaves.

The savage Orks were just passing by when their Space Hulk has broke down. Whilst they had been repairing it, they decided to just grab a piece of the fighting, and they fought as hard and as merciless as any Ork before them.

For the evil Forces of Chaos, it was to transform the planet into a Daemon World, where it would have made an excellent staging point for more attacks on the Imperium, and quite possibly Terra itself.

The undead Necrons, as always, to harvest the souls of all those on the planet, whilst at the same time trying to halt the coming Warp Storm.

The vile Tyranids had come to strip the planet clean and to absorb something called the Death Leaper's genetic code.

Through all of this massive conflict, the Imperium emerged the victors as they smashed the others factions, and especially the Forces of Chaos. The Tau had managed to escape with most of their lives, where many humans had decided to join the Empire, but not before inadvertently leaving some of their comrades to die on the planet. After this, Earth Caste scientists dictated the further research into the Warp would be unfeasible. It was that they had been clearly shaken by the loss of their closest friends and protectors.

Aun'shi exhaled, glancing over his shoulder at O'Shovah, "Your point being?"

"Do not let our failure to grasp the Warp and other complicated subjects affect your judgement, councillor," Shovah reasoned, "Besides Chaos will not stop once Lylat is under their control, and it would seem the Imperium has no idea that this is happening right now."

Aun'shi's eyes widened as he realised the truth, "If the Imperium is destroyed, we will be next."

----------

With alarms going off all around them and equipped with their notoriously outdated yet powerful and mutated weaponry, the Chaos Marines flooded the narrow hallway as they made their way towards the hangars of the Repulsive cruiser. The sounds of their own heavy metal boots impacting with the floor mixed with the messages spewing forth from the P.A. system.

All for Chaos, All for Chaos. Everything in this universe belongs to Chaos. For the Dark Gods: Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, and Slaanesh. We of the Alpha Legion, Chaos' silent Hydra, shall win this day, or we are damned to face the Despoiler's wrath.

The Chaos Lord Ezekiel was waiting for his legions, alongside the Sorcerer Artemis. He smiled as they each stood to attention. Ezekiel saw that every ten Marines led by a single Champion. His scythe glowed with deadly, crimson energy. He raised his weapon into the air, where he inhaled sharply, where he stood ready to inspire his men.

"Ever since our formation at the beginning, we have not been given the respect and awe we so thoroughly deserve," Ezekiel boomed, "Unlike the other cowardly legions who fled into the Eye, we stood our ground and elected to continue fighting the injustice. And that is the Imperium and the False Emperor, the ones who stand between the Gods and our path to glory."

The Traitor Marines all begun to feel uncomfortable as they felt their impatience begin to rise and their blood boil just by standing here and listening to their lord continue. But just out of obligation they listened on, unaware by what he would say would draw their applause.

"We are the Hydra of the Traitor Legions. Our enemy may cut off one of our heads, but will we always keep fighting. We have proven that time and time again we have always returned from the brink of oblivion to deliver death to the Loyalist scum. Now we finally have the chance to gain the favour of the Gods once and for all."

The Marines listened on…

"We must ascertain the last daughter of Cerinia, the Crown Princess of that dreaded blue planet Cerinia. The Gods will grant us the power and vengeance we crave once we spill her blood upon the Despoiler's Alter. And then…"

He smiled wickedly.

"…we, the Alpha Legion, shall be reviled the true bringers of the universe's END!"

The Chaos troops of the Alpha Legion suddenly all cheered loudly and wildly. They raised their clenched fists into the air as they chanted out loud the chapter's alternative battle cry at the top of their lungs…

"_**Hydra Dominatus. Hydra Dominatus! HYDRA DOMINATUS!"**_

----------

Jakob, Falco, Katt and Krystal remained in the infirmary long after Fox had fallen back asleep, where Krystal didn't want to leave his side and the others were fine by it. They had each pulled chairs up and were sitting some distance away from Fox's bed. Except Krystal, who sat by Fox's bed, holding his hand in hers.

"So what's your story, Jakob?" Katt asked, sitting down legs crossed on her chair.

"Huh?" Jakob queried, "My 'story'?"

Falco smiled slightly, "Why is that you're the only human we've sent amongst this gang of blue-skinned pacifists with weird accents?"

Jakob's eyes widened, before he scratched the back of his head and replied, "I'm a auxiliary of the Tau Empire, a Gue'vesa. That mean's 'human helper.' Hundreds of years ago my ancestors were abandoned following the outcome of an ill-fated Imperial Guard campaign, the** Damocles Gulf Crusade**. They were offered a choice by Shas'O Shovah, AKA Commander Farsight."

He looked at both the feline and the avian with seriousness.

"Join the Tau and become part of the Greater Good, or live out the rest of their existences as Prisoners of War."

"I'll assume they choice Option A?" Falco queried smartly.

Jakob frowned, "Most did. The others weren't keen on abandoning the religion that was shoved down their throats at birth and spent the rest of their lives in those damn 're-education camps.'"

"So technically you're not Imperial born," Katt dictated.

Jakob held back the laughter, where he instead chuckled mirthlessly, "Heh, you crazy? The Imperials hate the Tau's guts, and especially the Gue'vesa, which they like to call traitors in the eyes of the so-called God-Emperor of Humanity. I think there's no harm in telling you that…"

He sighed, before he peered in close to Falco and Katt and narrowed his eyes in a mean way. Krystal's head jolted up with interest upon hearing all that and looked over her shoulder, seeing that both Falco and Katt started to feel uncomfortable.

"If I ever see any other human that flies the Imperial colours, I will immediately bring hell down on him," Jakob swore, "The Imperium is the worst thing to ever happen to the universe."

Krystal shook her head, "That isn't true, Jakob."

All eyes turned to her, where Jakob's eyebrows queered, "Huh?"

She smiled sadly, turned her seat away from Fox, and faced the group, "There's this one human who was part of our team, you would have liked him a lot. He had always believed that all forms of life can coexist as one, and the way he fought to save everybody in Lylat proves his point."

Jakob crossed his arms and smiled, "I'm starting to like this guy already. What's his name?"

"Jacques Jeán Mortensen of the Ultramarines," Krystal answered with finality, "My spiritual brother."

Jakob's smile faded and his eyes widened, where for moment he couldn't make his mouth work. When he did he asked, "Did you say 'Mortensen?'"

"Yes," Krystal nodded, when her eyes flared up and she queried suddenly, "Why? Do you know him?"

Jakob quickly shook his head and hesitantly responded, "No, sorry. I…I…that name just surprised me, that's all."

Falco smiled, "Yeah, I was surprised that anyone would want to go through life with a name like that. It sounds too...pompous."

"I reckon that name oozes with nobility and vigilance," Katt cut in, a quaint smile on her face, "And I'm sure J.J. was those things and hell of a lot more."

Krystal's eyes narrowed, where she asked with slight contempt, "Was?"

Katt quickly shut her mouth, where she squeaked embarrassingly, "Sorry, Krys. I didn't mean it that way."

Jakob looked at both young women with curiosity, where he then noticed Krystal looking at him with a questioned look, probably how he stuttered over hearing the name of the Space Marine, as if he did know him. He then suddenly noticed the vixen starting to feel uncomfortable, before she suddenly gasped out loud and caught the attention of the others. She then wrapped her arms around herself as she suddenly felt coldness engulf her and making her hair stand on end.

"Krystal?" Jakob questioned, "What's wrong?"

"It's Chaos!" she exclaimed shivering, "They're here!"

Falco groaned, "Shit. Are you sure?"

Alarms begun to sound off outside the infirmary, as well as the sounds of heavy footsteps from the others Fire Warriors as they passed by the door. Jakob got up from his seat and spun towards to the door, where he immediately felt beads of sweat roll down his face at the thought of the Ruinous Powers of Chaos. The others could tell he was scared, and were surprised at how he could hide it from them.

They then sensed him sucking down his fear, as determination crossed his face before he grabbed his helmet off a nearby medical table and put in on. He turned to the others, whom just sat there and looked up at him curiously.

"If it's the mad Cultists of Chaos we're gonna be up against, we could use the extra hands," Jakob reasoned with them, "Or should that be paws?"

Falco nodded and stood up, "You got it, man."

"Same here," Katt got up and announced, "Give me a weapon and we'll give them Hell."

They turned to Krystal, who had managed to relax herself and control her senses. She nodded slowly and stood up, calmly putting the seat back near Fox.

"O'Shovah will probably be expecting us in the war room," Jakob said, "So we better double-time it."

"Lead the way," Krystal said.

They ran towards the door, where Krystal stopped in her tracks. She looked back at Krystal and slowly walked back towards him, the others watching her slowly and surprisingly. She got on one knee next to Fox, where she grasped one of her hands in his. Jakob watched curiously as she moved her face forwards and kissed Fox gently on the forehead.

"Get well soon, Fox," Krystal whispered into his ear, before smiling gently and stepping over to the door, where they left the infirmary and Fox.

He immediately opened his eyes painfully, noticing the door into the room closing.

"Krystal," he said softly.

----------

Aun'shi stepped into the control room of the Infinity explorer craft, where immediately he was greeted by a hologram of the ship which projected in the centre of the room. The ship itself was radically different than any other craft outside the Lylat system, where the mecha design was evident on it. Several plasma batteries were built into it's hull, as well as two Ion Cannon situated on the front of the craft. And true to Jakob's word, the ship was buried beneath the surface of the planet.

The long, tall slender Air Caste personnel stood up in the presence of the Ethereal, where Aun'shi waved his hand downwards and the crew sat back down, except for the captain of the ship.

"What is the meaning of this?" Aun'shi asked roughly, "Why is the Infinity placed on full alert?"

"Our sensors have detected a singular large Chaos starship in orbit above the planet," replied the captain known as Kor'vash, "What appears to be enemy dropships are descending from the ship and down towards the planet. They don't appear to be headed for us, however."

"It would seem they are searching for our guests," Aun'shi ruled out, "I might have known."

O'Shovah stepped into the control room and said, "We must prepare our forces immediately if we are to survive the day's end, Ethereal. It would only be a matter of time before they detect us beneath their feet."

"Just what I was unfortunately thinking, Commander Farsight," Aun'shi responded bluntly, "You and your Enclaves can handle them. My own guard will stay behind to protect the ship. But if it will do any good, I will dispatch my battlesuits, vehicles and Pathfinders to help clear the way for you."

"Of course, Councillor," O'Shovah replied, where he turned to the Air Caste personnel, "Keep the plasma engines and vectors on stand by in case we need to make a speedy departure from this world."

"Yes Shas'O," the Air Caste all replied as one.

----------

Jakob, Falco, Katt and Krystal were the last to arrive at the large into the war room, where a singular guard stood watch, where he stepped in front of the group, much to their surprise.

"Farsight Enclaves only," the guard announced, raising his hand in front of Falco's face, before turning to Jakob with a smile on his flat, blue face, "Gue'vesa Shas'la Jakob. You and your team have been assigned to this operation, hence you must be present for this briefing."

"Yeah," Jakob moved his eyes over at the Lylatians and said, "I think the Lylatians have a right to be present, seeing as how Chaos is here for them."

"Sorry, Gue'vesa," the guard argued sharply, "I was given strict orders from Ethereal Councillor Aun'shi himself to…"

He stopped talking and quickly stood to attention when he saw O'Shovah standing behind the group, where they spun around and were greeted by the mecha-clad commander. Somehow they could feel the soul within that armour stare down at them, evident in it's glowing eyes as it zoomed in on them, the sounds of machinery being heard.

"La'Jakob is correct, Shas'la," O'Shovah spoke with finality, "Let them pass and be part of the plan."

The Shas'la nodded, before stepping aside and allowing the door to open sideways. They all went through and were immediately greeted by the two hundred Farsight Enclave members in what appeared to be a small arena with a speaker podium in the centre. Instead of the previous Fire Warriors they had encountered with their yellow suits, these warriors were equipped in red-coloured suits and armed with what appeared to be wristblades. The Fire Warriors had their helmets off as they conversed with one another, before being silent as O'Shovah, Jakob and the Star Fox members made themselves known.

"Farsight Enclaves, all rise in the presence of Shas'O Shovah," the Shas'ui all sounded off together.

The Fire Caste all stood from their seats and placed their palms over their hearts in a salute, where Jakob stepped over towards his Pathfinder squad and did the same. Krystal and the others felt awkward, standing next to O'Shovah as he received their salutes. The Fire Caste all lowered their hands.

"Be seated, brothers."

The Shas'la all sat down as O'Shovah made his way down the walkway towards the centre, leaving Krystal, Katt and Falco standing there by the doorway. Falco took the hint and leaned against the wall next to the door, arms crossed. The girls got comfortable standing up as well, seeing as how none of the other Fire Warriors is going to give up their seat.

O'Shovah reached the centre of the 'arena' and stood at the podium, making sure that his suit's audio speakerphone channels were adjusted and set so that all around him can listen to what he had to say. And he had to say a lot, the news of which was grave indeed.

"Fire Warriors of the Farsight Enclaves," the renegade Fire Caste Commander begun, "We are faced with a dire event that we are unfortunate not to have foreseen before coming here to Lylat on our never-ending quest for knowledge and virtue."

Falco rolled his eyes, which Krystal and Katt noticed, 'Here we go.'

"It would seem that the Forces of Chaos, the mad Cultists spawned from within the Eye of Terror itself, have gained a foothold here in the Lylat System. If I, and the Ethereal Councillor, did not know any better it would seem that the evil one himself has decided to direct his next Black Crusade here."

'Black Crusade?' Krystal thought alarmed, 'Against Lylat? That's…that's pure madness!'

"I have not yet decided whether we should stand our ground here in this system and against the Despoiler himself, and the fallen Space Marine legions under his command, but it would seem we would have no choice. As I speak to you right now, a company of Chaos Marines is descending towards the planet surface, intent on hunting down our Lylatian guests."

They all looked over their shoulders at the Lylatian standing near the doorway, where Katt instinctively waved gently and smiled. As they faced the front again, some Shas'la shuffled uncomfortably in their seats, while others begun gripping their weapons protectively and to themselves. Some more felt slight fear and uncertainty wash over them, where they had not expected to fight the dreaded Forces of Chaos themselves, only being told before leaving their place of birth that they would be going on a mission of knowledge, not that of war or conquest.

"As I have said I have not decided whether we should stand our ground and come to the aid of the Lylatians in repelling Chaos," O'Shovah repeated himself, then continued, "But we must engage the Cultists once they land here on the planet. That would be the correct course of action as they would immediately come down upon us if we try to unearth the ship and leave now."

Krystal nodded in agreement and said softly, "Of course, even though they would pursue us to the ends of the universe."

"We have engaged Chaos before on many fronts," O'Shovah continued, "They may be able to wield the unseen power known as the Warp, but they are still flesh and blood. Flesh can be torn apart and blood can be spilled."

He paused for a moment, letting his words sink into his people's minds.

"We will engage the Chaos forces as we always have: Both at range and in melee. All Pathfinder squads will be equipped with rail rifles and provide our main ground force with cover, where Battlesuits and Hammerheads will support our warriors. Any questions?"

Silence came down upon the Tau.

"We will deploy a team of our own Stealth Suits to pinpoint the landing zone and position of the Chaos forces. Afterwards we shall deploy with a selection Aun'shi's own armoured weapons and elite Pathfinder Team, where will see to it they can never harm existence ever again," O'Shovah said, "You all have fifteen minutes to be ready, while our point team will be deployed in five minutes."

"HEY!"

O'Shovah's mechanical head jerked up and faced the back, as did all the other Fire Warriors, where they along with Katt and Krystal saw that Falco had just called out at the top of his lungs. Now that he got the attention he needed…

"Mind if we tag along?" he called out, "We've got a score to settle with those rotting meat in rusted tin-cans."

Jakob smiled from his seat, where he put his hand up and called out, "I think we _should_ include them in our initial attack, commander. Besides, I believe a few extra guns wouldn't hurt."

"It never does," O'Shovah agreed, sounding smirk, "Be ready for the combat, brothers. For the Greater Good!"

"FOR THE GREATER GOOD!" all the Tau in the chamber responded in a massive cheer.

----------

The Chaos Thunderhawks touched down behind the steel wall, on the asphalt of the ruined, long forgotten Cornerian base, which was nearly a small town in itself with it's large number of structures ranging from barracks to supply silos to vehicle garages. Already there were troops and vehicles on the ground, Chaos Marines and Cultists, running about as they prepped themselves into formation, led by the Aspiring Champions, whose power sword and chainswords were thirsty for blood.

The mobile armour consisted of the demoniacally possessed crab-like Defilers, Dreadnoughts, each of them wielding a mutated left 'arm' as well as the standard weaponry including a flame-thrower and a lascannon, and Predator tanks, equipped with Warp-infushed lascannons and side-bolters.

Chaos Lord Ezekiel and the Sorcerer Artemis stepped off one of the Thunderhawk; immediately all of the Chaos forces stood to attention. Immediately an aspiring champion stepped up to the Chaos Lord; got on his knees and bowed his head.

"My lord," the champion grovelled, "We have detected an unknown anomaly two miles north from our position."

"That would be the Cerinian," Ezekiel grinned, "If she think she can hide from us on this fleck of sand they call Titania, she is gravely mistaken."

He frowned and looked over at the Marines and Cultists standing before him.

"Bring her back to me, alive," the Chaos Lord ordered, "And preferably intact. If not, I'll make you all eat your champions."

The champion's pupils all diluted, where one of the Cultists let out a slight gulp.

"NOW GET TO IT!" Ezekiel ordered.

And with that about fifty Marines and about a hundred Cultists piled into the Rhino transports, which supported by three tanks and two Defilers, drove out of the abandoned base and into the sandy wilderness. Unaware from a cliff face overlooking the base, a team of five black-coloured XV15 Stealth Suits armed with heavy burst cannons watched them carefully.

"This spells trouble, brothers," one of the stealth suit's reasoned, adjusting his vision to zoom out from the deadly convoy as it drove towards, then under, their position, "I stand corrected."

"They are heading the Infinity's way," another suit replied, "We have to warn them immediately."

----------

Discomfort was evident on Krystal's face as she, Katt, Falco and Jakob once again were walking through the hallways of the starship, with Jakob in the lead. Falco quickly noticed this and tapped her shoulder.

"What's up?" he asked, "You've got that weird look again."

She frowned and replied, "Must be because Chaos is only a couple of miles from us and can probably sense me here."

Jakob looked over his shoulder, "Hang on. We haven't heard from our scouts if the Cultists have us in their sights."

They suddenly froze when the public announcement system was active…

_This is Point Squad Vior'la_ _reporting. Chaos has landed two miles north from the Infinity, and has deployed an armoured convoy, possibly heading towards your position. Please make a note of it, over and out._

Jakob nodded, "That's our cue. You guys better load if you plan to send them to their long-overdue graves."

"The armoury, then?" Katt asked, hands on her hips.

"Where I'm leading you," Jakob responded, "Let's go."

They stepped through the next door to the left of the hallway and into a room completely stuffed with state-of-the-art, high-tech armaments, which was unlike the Cornerian weapon and radically different than to what the Imperium had to offer. Falco nodded his head softly, smirking gently.

What he next said drew weird looks from those around him, "Let's shop."

Falco stepped forward and grabbed a pulse rifle of a rack, which he studied carefully. Katt followed suit, where she grabbed a plasma rifle and held it firmly in their hands. Jakob smiled and crossed his arms.

"You'll find that those are good weaponry," he pointed out, "They have none of the flaws of either the Imperial or your standard Cornerian arms."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Falco responded, where he slapped a clip into the rifle.

Krystal frowned slightly and stepped back; Jakob turned her way.

"Problems?" he asked.

"Yes," Krystal replied, unsure, "Normally I fight usually armed with a…"

Jakob's eyes widened, where he slapped his own head, "Damn, am I stupid. Here…I think this…"

He reached into a storage compartment built into his leg armour, where he pulled out Krystal's retracted staff.

"…. I think this belongs to you. I found it earlier on board your ship, but I forgot to hand it over to you.

Krystal smiled appreciatively as she accepted the staff, which protracted in her hands and causing Jakob to duck slightly. Krystal cringed, where she retracted her deadly weapon and sheathed it on the back of her blue body suit.

"Thank you, Jakob," Krystal said kindly, "For a minute I thought it was lost forever."

"Really?"

"Yes," she nodded, "A friend gave it to me. A dear friend."

"Oh, and also before I forgot…"

Jakob suddenly clapped his hands loudly, where immediately faint buzzing could be heard, before what appeared to be steel cage bursted open behind Katt and startled him. Three floating disc-like robots each armed with a pair of plasma carbines equipped underneath them emerged and floated before the group. Katt and Falco stepped back some.

_Gun Drones ready for deployment. For the Greater Good!_

"Relax," Jakob smiled, "These are Gun Drones, automated weapon platforms designed to accompany the Fire Warriors into battle. They have possibly the most advanced AI in the entire universe and are voice operated."

"Is that so?" Falco snided, "They don't look like much."

Alert! Alert! Negativity from loudmouthed avian detected! Engaging… 

The drones then suddenly beeped violently at Falco, where one rammed itself into his gut, knocking the wind out of him and startling him immensely. Jakob smirked and crossed his arms, where he shook his head softly and closed his eyes, trying not to laugh but failing in that.

"Careful, Lombardi," Jakob insisted laughingly, "They have very fragile feelings."

"Yeah…sure," Falco stammered as he held his gut, "I'll…remember…that…fuck me that's smart."

Just as both Krystal and Katt stifled back giggles, more alarms could be heard outside the armoury, which was their cue to step out armed with the Tau weaponry and back into the hallway, just as Fire Warrior were matching down the wide corridor. They awkwardly joined in the long march through the ship, where they next found themselves in what appeared to be a large motor pool.

"Whoa," Katt spoke softly, eyes widened and overwhelmed at what as before them.

Long rows of about ten battlesuits and another ten heavy XV-88 Broadsuit battlesuits stood before them. The Broadsuits were notably armed with heavier weapons including plasma cannons and shoulder-mounted missile launchers. Ten powerful Hammerhead tanks were also stationed here, being refuelled and maintained by the Earth Caste technicians and engineers, who was also directing the chosen Fire Warriors towards the suits and helping them into these powerful pieces of ordinance.

_All Fire Caste personnel prepare for immediate engagement, _the announcement system sounded off, _Chaos cultists en-route to our position. Prepare to send these abominations back to whence they came from…Hell. For the Greater Good!_

The Fire Warriors, accompanied by a dozen Gun Drones not including the Lylatian's drones, marched through the motor pool towards these massive doors at the end of the pool. It slowly opened for them, revealing what appeared to be a massive elevator shaft. Katt, Krystal, Falco and Jakob stepped onto the lift alongside about a hundred other Fire Warriors, where the doors then slowly begun to close, sealing them in.

"Er…where exactly are we?" Falco questioned.

"We're in the main elevator to the top of the Infinity," Jakob's Shas'ui responded, "In other words…the surface area."

They looked up the long shaft to see the ceiling doors open slowly, revealing the red-orange sky and sand brewing over the shaft. The Fire Warriors felt the pits of their stomach vibrate slightly as the machinery worked the elevator upwards ascend upwards on the elevator, gradually feeling Solar itself shine it's rays down on them. Soon they found themselves on the surface…or what appeared to be the surface.

Katt looked down at her feet, surprised that it felt like she standing on steel, yet what she was seeing was the sand. They stepped off the elevator, where the elevator descended downwards to transport the next one hundred to the surface. She, like her friends, was surprised to find that O'Shovah was waiting for them; his weapons armed and ready.

"Like I said, Monroe," O'Shovah expressed, "The ship remains hidden beneath the sands."

Krystal looked around, seeing that they were in the centre in what appeared to be an old, abandoned mining base, situated on a cliff. And that the ship had somehow dug itself beneath the base despite the buildings foundations.

"We deployed these pretender building constructions ourselves," O'Shovah clarified, noticing Krystal's puzzled expression, "Just as an added precaution."

She nodded, "I should have guessed."

"Burying yourself in a mountain wasn't enough?" Falco asked, cynically.

"How do you think we got past your border defences?" Jakob responded with his own question, where he then bragged, "Our stealth technology is the best in the entire universe."

"No doubt," Katt emphasised, "No doubt about that."

----------

'I don't believe this,' Fox thought as he laid on his bed, 'I don't believe that this is happening. This is complete bullshit!'

The vulpine groaned out loud as he realised that he was stuck to the bed all because of his rough landing here on the Death World. He once again tried to get up, moving his hands to grip the handles on the bed, but the pain forced him to lie back down. He let out another groan, followed by an angry grunt.

He closed his eyes and exhaled, ashamed that he couldn't do anything at the moment, while at the same time Chaos was probably extending it's grip on his own home system. He knew that Corneria wouldn't be the last planet that would be tainted, and that billions more innocent people awaited cruel fates courtesy of these Cultist butchers.

"Dear God," he murmured, "If you can hear me…don't leave me like this."

I hear you, Fox.

Fox gasped, where immediately he gritted his teeth as he chest heaved with the pain. He struggled to keep his eyes open and to not pass out once again. His widened his eyes as best as he could, feeling shocked.

"J…J…Jacques?"

----------

  
Half an hour later and sweltering under the desert heat with their rail weapons firmly gripped in their hands and their tanks and battlesuits following close behind, the Tau Strike Force marched over the desert. Jakob and his team had gone ahead, where the Tau known as Tash carried a portable scanner in his hands, where it's beeps were starting to drive Jakob insane with anticipation. The Shas'ui looked over at Tash.

"Anything, Shas'la?"

"Nothing yet," Tash responded, "Hey, Jakob?"

"Yeah?" the 'Gue'vesa Shas'la' replied.

"You sure you're furry little friends won't get in the way?"

"I wouldn't know," Jakob restated, "I haven't seem them in action yet."

"Hey…HEY!" Tash cried out, his scanner beginning to beep louder and quicker, "I got something…half-a-click."

"Let's move it, then!" the Shas'ui ordered, "Now!"

The Pathfinder moved faster across the sand, with Jakob now in the lead. Soon they had come across a large rocky hilled range, which they looked up towards it, before looking at one another. They each nodded and begun climbing the second tallest part of it. Jakob felt that familiar adrenaline rush pump through him, and with a rail rifle strapped to his back it became slightly more intense. About six minutes later they reached the top, where Tash immediately pulled out his scanner and it was beeping like crazy.

Jakob produced his binoculars and zoomed out north into the distance. He saw a convoy of Chaos troops and vehicles slowly moving to their position, where if they had to pass by them they would have to go through a narrow pass that led through the entire area. The Tau realised that to them it was a tactically unsound predicament.

Lowering his binoculars, Jakob exhaled gently and called out to the Shas'ui, "Should we contact O'Shovah, Shas'ui?"

"Already done it, Gue'vesa Shas'la," the Shas'ui responded, tapping into his communicator.

Not far from their position and coming in from the south was the main Tau strike force. Falco, Katt and Krystal were riding on top of a Hammerhead, where by chance the tank passed by O'Shovah, Falco called out.

"Yo Shovah. Wouldn't it make more sense to fortify our position back at the Infinity?"

"The Tau do not look kindly upon defensive strategies, Lombardi," O'Shovah responded flatly, "We engage the enemy as we move, and I suspect we will strike them from a tactically sound position just up ahead."

Just then O'Shovah communication channel buzzed, where he tuned it in.

_Commander, _the other line blurted, _Chaos forces heading our way. They will have to go through a pass cutting across the hills in order to get by us._

"Then we will beat them to it, Shas'ui," O'Shovah responded, "In the meantime, take up position there and prepare to engage them at will. As they try to make their escape, we will intercept and pummel them until no tainted human is left standing."

_Affirmative, O'Shovah. Out!  
_

----------

The Chaos forces consist of about fifty Chaos Marines, twice that many number of Cultists and about two Predator tanks and two Defilers. Amongst the Marines were five heavy-weapon specialised Havocs, the same Marines to have brought down the walls of the main starport back on Corneria. Each and every one of those Chaotic individuals felt like they had the time of their lives destroying a mostly defenceless world and slaughtering their citizens like cattle.

One of the three Aspiring Champions, who was up at the front of the force, remembered quite vividly how he had sliced the throat of a Cornerian male dog and bled him out, right before his own family. He then set his squad of Cultists on the family and committed their screams and cries of mercy to memory. He swore that he was almost aroused by the amount of death around him, and that made him smile pleasantly.

"Champion," a Cultist disturbed him off his thoughts, "We are approaching the ranges of the planet…AWKKK!"

The champion ran the Cultist through with his sword, angry that he had bothered him out of his fantasies. As the body fell to the sand, he saw that they approaching the near mountainous terrain. He raised his hand, and the convoy stopped in their tracks.

"What is it?" another Marine demanded, "We have we stopped?"

"What lies ahead is the perfect place for an ambush," the champion snapped, "The narrow path through the ranges is bound to a have hostilities waiting for us."

One of the other champions, slightly angry, walked up to him and stormed, "What is the meaning of this?"

The Marine turned to him and answered, "He believes an ambush awaits us if we continue forward."

"Why don't we go around the ranges?" the objecting champion suggested, "Just as a precaution."

"It'll take us another hour to get to the Cerinian," the other champion notified, "Lord Ezekiel will not allow us to see another moon fall if we keep him waiting. Besides what can the remaining three members of Star Fox do to us?"

----------  


Through the scope of his rail rifle Jakob could see the two champions arguing down below at the mouth of the narrow path through the ranges. He shook his head softly, trying to read their lips and understand what they were saying, but he could guess immediately that they were contemplating whether to go through the path of not.

All the while, he mind kept drifting back to that cerulean vixen known as Krystal, and according to her words the last surviving Cerinian in existence. He thought about why he asked her if they had met before, which he hope it was wrong or imposing to have asked her that. Somehow she did seem familiar to him, as if they had met in a past life or something.

He tried blinking those thoughts away as he concentrated on the matter at hand…

"Hey, what are those Chaos creeps doing?" Tash asked, looking through his own scope, "Lovers quarrel or something?"

"They don't seem to be wanting to come our way," Jakob agreed.

The Shas'ui fronwed from behind his helmet, before he loaded his rifle and zoomed in on one of the Aspiring Champions, where he growled, "Oh, they will now!"

He pulled the trigger, and immediately sent a straight rail beam at one of the champion, whose head exploded and splattered brain and skull matter all over the other champion, who eyes instinctively closed as the matter begun to run down his face. He then moved his hand to wipe it off himself, the headless corpse still standing, but letting go of it's bolter and power sword.

Calmly, the other aspiring champion looked up ahead at the hills and spotted the Shas'ui. He narrowed his eyes and raised his chainsword up at him.

"Blueskins!" he called out, "Up there!"

He quickly swerved his head as the Shas'ui fired again, instead blasting a hole in another Marine and downing him. The aspiring champion raised his bolt pistol up at the hill, took aim and fired. The Shas'ui recoiled as the bolt struck him in the shoulder, where he cried out in pain as it tore through his armour and his shoulder.

The aspiring champion gritted his teeth and stormed, whilst referencing the Tau's involvement during the 13th Black Crusade and Medusa V, "PURSUE THEM! THEY WILL SUFFER FOR IMPENDING OUR CONQUEST OF THE UNIVERSE

----------

"ARGH! DAMNATION!"

The Shas'ui cradled his shoulder wound, where he hopped backwards from the edge of the cliff, as did Tash and Jakob.

"They've found us!" Tash exclaimed sarcastically, "You're plan worked just like clockwork, Shas'ui!"

"Shut up, Tash!"

A barrage of bolter fire tore through the edge of the cliff and out of the ground, they took this as a hint to move completely away from the cliff. Before a bolter round destroyed it, Tash's radar was beeping like crazy, telling them that the Chaos troops were moving towards them, weapons blazing. Jakob's head jerked upwards to see six jetpack equipped Raptors descending from the sky, chainswords in hands.

"A bit too well, if I may add!" Jakob cried, raising his rail rifle.

As one of the Raptor's boltpistol blasts skimmed the side of Jakob's helmet, he pulled the trigger and shot one of the Raptor's jetpacks. It caused him to fall out of the sky and land back down on Earth, the force of the landing and the weight of his armour more or less crushing him to a pulp. The remaining five Raptors landed on the cliff and charged the Pathfinders.

"LA'JAKOB!" the Shas'ui cried.

Jakob nodded and charged forward, dropping his rail rifle. One of the Raptors swung his chainsword at the human, where he bent his torso backwards and avoided the attack, before sweep kicking the Raptor off his feet and grabbing the heavy chainsword as it flew from his hands. He parried with another Raptor, and then swung the blade to relieve him of his hands. With his might he struck the Marine with the chainsword, slicing him across the chest and downing him.

The Marine he swept-kicked was about to get up when Jakob brought his foot down on his neck and crushing his wind pipe, snuffing him instantly. The three remaining Raptors raised their boltpistols just as Jakob skidded onto his back, allowing the Pathfinders to take them out with their rail rifles, quickly finishing the job.

The Raptor that had led the attack fell to his knees with a hole through his chest. Jakob stepped up to him, looking down at the pitiful creature.

Coughing up blood, the Raptor asked, "I thought…you Tau prefer range."

Jakob shook his head softly and took off his helmet revealing to the Raptor that he was a smirking human being, who then responded, "Not me."

He made a fist with his left hand, where a short stabbing blade extended from his armoured hand. He drove it through the Raptor's neck, hot blood spewing from the wound where the Raptor quickly drowned in it before toppling over sideways, dead.

----------

Mercifully the main Tau force was approaching the ranges, seeing that the action was starting to head up, as they saw the Raptors had descended on the group, where they were then surprisingly dispatched.

"Hey, we're missing the party!" Falco cried, gripping his pulse rifle, "Can these tanks hover any faster!"

With that the Tau picked up the pace, the hammerheads and the battlesuits begun to accelerate faster. The Fire Warriors begun to dash forward, feeling their need to preserve the 'Greater Good' kick in within themselves. O'Shovah engaged his suit's engine systems and begun hovering faster, catching up with his troops before taking the lead.

"TAKE DOWN THESE TAINTED HUMANS!" O'Shovah stormed out loud, "FOR THE GREATER GOOD!"

A few minutes later they were before the mouth of the path leading through the hills, where the Tau scanners detected the Chaos forces moving slowly from the other side. The radars also picked up that the Pathfinder squad was withdrawing and under heavy fire as artillery from the Defiler's begun to rain down from them. Falco, Krystal and Katt got off the tank they were riding.

"That's sounds like the skies falling down on those poor bastards!" Falco exclaimed, "What do we do now?"

"We divide our forces and scour the rocky hedges," O'Shovah responded, "Attack them from all sides! Battlesuits continue forward and support our troops! Hammerheads remain here and make sure no Chaos forces get through these hills! GO!"

The Fire Warriors accompanied by their Gun Drones quickly split up into squads of ten and begun to scour the hills upwards, followed closely behind by the battlesuits and the hover tanks. Krystal, Katt and Falco joined the battle, each joining a different squad, each of which received a warm welcome from the squad. Krystal's senses went haywire as the area was tainted to the extreme with Chaos activity.

Meanwhile Jacob and the Pathfinders where fleeing from the advancing Chaos forces, who had decided to not go through the narrow path through the hills and had quickly elected to climb the hills, whilst their tanks and Defilers stayed back the hedge. They were narrowly avoiding the bolter fire, where the Shas'ui still had his hand over his arm wound as a foot-long bullet was lodged within it.

"Come on!" Jacques shouted, "The rest of the force is just up ahead."

By chance the unnamed Pathfinder that had been part of the team caught a bolt in the leg, tripped over and landed flat on his face. Immediately upon staying in one place for too long he was riddled with bolter fire, whilst his companions continued to run, Jakob immediately feeling terrible about not stopping to help his friend, but if he did, he would have joined him in death.

He could hear the laspistol-packing Cultists pursuing them scream out obscenities and curses, the Traitor Marines following close behind and repeating over and over again their battle cry…**Hydra Dominatus**. Jakob turned around, aimed his rail rifle at the nearest Cultist and fired, blowing his arm off. Just as the Cultist were a few yards away from bringing their short swords down on them, the two hundred Fire Warrior emerged at the top of the hill, O'Shovah leading them.

The Cultists had little time for their fear to rise, as the Fire Caste forces immediately rained down pulse and plasma death down on them, tearing most of them to pieces while about forty others managed to escape and reach the bottom of the hill. Jakob and his squad picked themselves up from the ground, which they had dove down to in order to avoid the friendly fire, and joined up with their comrades.

"We held them as long as we could, O'Shovah," the Shas'ui stated, before groaning as his shoulder still hurt like hell.

"We will take it from here," O'Shovah announced, where he saw that the Fire Warriors and the battlesuits were all lined up across the rocky-hilled ranges, their weapons pointing down at the Chaos forces down below.

The forty Chaos Marines stepped forward towards the edge of the hills, the remaining Cultists joining up with them. The two Aspiring Champions looked up at the Tau nestled at the top of the hills, one of which frowned with indefinite annoyance.

"There is no way they are going to blast at us from up there," he growled, "So we are going to show them our definition of Hell up close. DEFILERS, DIRECT FIRE TO THEIR REAR!"

The daemons within the Defilers complied with the order, letting out their mechanical roars as they fired their deadly artillery, which landed behind them, forcing them all to step forward. O'Shovah immediately knew their game, where immediately he engaged his large blade.

"FORWARD!" O'Shovah ordered.

'Here we go,' Krystal thought bitterly, 'Again.'

The Chaos Marines and Cultists at the bottom of the hill charged upwards, most with their blades drawn, their tanks firing their lascannons upwards at the Tau. With the artillery stopping them from withdrawing, not that they wanted to anyway, the Enclaves, accompanied by their Gun Drones, charged forward with their blades drawn. Katt looked through the sight of her rifle and blasted a Cultist upside the head. The Marines, Cultists and Fire Warriors engaged each other at close-quarters, wrist blades and rifle butts against warp-infused swords.

The Pathfinders stopped in their tracks towards the middle of the hills as Shas'ui grabbed Jakob by the shoulder and prevented him from continuing forward with the main strike force. He shook his head softly and handed him his rifle.

"We must cover them from up here," the Shas'ui notified, before he pointed at the firing Defilers, "But first we have to silence that damned artillery!"

"Got it!" Jakob exclaimed.

He quickly took aim at the closest Defiler's controlling helmet which was situated on top of it's 'head' and fired, shattering it and injuring the daemon within it, causing it to scream out in pain and stepped around backward in a blind frenzy. The next Defiler redirected it's fire towards Jakob's position, where he immediately took action as he and his fellow team mates dove out the way, but the resulting explosion lifted him off his feet.

He instinctively pulled the trigger, sending the rail bolt towards the Defiler and hitting it's artillery pods, destroying it. The daemon within it roared in anger and begun taking it out on one of the tanks, tearing it into chunks and throwing them forward towards the battlefield. The end result was that the Marines and the Fire Warriors were now fighting a divided melee skirmish all across the hill, which the Fire Warriors were not prepared to deal with.

The first casualties of this close-quarters battle were four Cultists and two Traitor Marines, which were taken out by O'Shovah who had swung his blade sent them all flying. He then received a blast to the chest by one of the tanks, but was still standing. He retaliated by firing his large plasma cannon at it and blowing it apart.

One Fire Warrior discharged his pulse rifle into the chest of one Marine, but not breaking through the armour quick enough and allowing the Marine to drive his shot sword through the Fire Warrior and killing him.

One of the two remaining Aspiring Champions had joined the battle, where he was now fighting Falco. The avian narrowed his eyes and avoided his deadly punches courtesy of his Power Fist, where he swung his rifle and struck the fallen human's unguarded face, breaking his nose the process. The aspiring champion roared out loud and dove at Falco, his fist clipping the side of his head.

Falco grunted in pain, before simply grabbing the would-be champion by the throat and reaching for his blaster in it's holster. He aimed it at his head and he managed to catch a glimpse of the champion's frightened eyes before pulling the trigger and blowing one side of his head off. He turned around and saw that Katt was firing her rifle at a pack of four Cultists that were charging her, blades drawn and blood-frenzied smiles on their little faces.

"COMIN' THROUGH!"

He ran towards them and dove forward, where before they noticed he was coming he knocked them all down, sending them falling down the hill and landing painfully at the feet of the last remaining Aspiring Champion. The Cultist looked up at the champion and his frowning facem, and he smiled nervously, even the champion extended his foot and crushed his head under his boot, the sickening sound of crushed bone assaulting the sound waves.

He looked over at Krystal fighting alongside two other Fire Warriors at the far end of the hill. He smiled and drew his power sword, he then turned to six other Marines and ten Cultist, where he nudged his head towards her. They nodded and they begun to charge up the hill towards him. Jakob from the vantage point at the top of the hill noticed they were heading in Krystal's direction, and where she was already giving the Force of Chaos hell, as she had already taken down six Cultists and two Marine with her staff. He shuffled across the top of the hill away from his comrades until he got a better view of the vixen, just as she pulled her staff out from the chest of another Cultist.

Before he could take aim and engage the Chaos troops moving towards Krystal, three Cultists lunged at him from behind, where they had snuck behind the Tau force and barely avoided the tank fire from behind. He swung his fist and knocked the closest Cultist flat on his back, he then drove his rifle into the gut of another and finished him with a roundhouse kick across the head. The last Cultist pulled out his laspitol, only to be relieved of his hand when Jakob swung his wrist blade. He screamed in pain, before Jakob drove the point of the blade through his head and his brain.

All the while he was distracted, Krystal continued fighting. The two Fire Warriors with her were blasted to oblivion by the incoming Chaos troops bolters. Krystal gasped and spun around to see the Aspiring Champion and his men standing before her, guns aimed at her. She gripped her staff and put up a shield, but the troops didn't fire their weapons.

"You can relax, Your Highness," the Champion crossed his arms, "We have been commanded by the Dark Gods to bring you alive back to Corneria."

Krystal looked angry as she growled, "You Chaos sicken me! Is that all you madmen do? Extinguish every little bit of life that comes your way?"

"All for the Dark Gods, milady!" one of the Cultists expressed, smiling crazily, "All for the Dark Gods."

Noticing that none of the other Tau forces had noticed them, the Aspiring Champion cried, "GET HER!"

The Champion charged first and swung his power sword, breaking the shield. Krystal elevated herself into the air using her staff and kicked him in the chest with both her feet, knocking him down. The next Marine swung his blade at her, whom she deflected with her staff, and it then connected with the Marine's head, knocking him down also.

She engaged her ice blaster, froze two Cultists in their tracks, before dodging the fist of another Cultists, and drove her staff through his chest in return. Falco finally noticed from his position yards away that Krystal was in trouble. As he begun to run towards her, a Cultist lunged at him and tackled him onto the ground. He kicked him off and reached for his neck, crushing it with his bare hands.

After dispatching the Cultists that jumped him, Jakob's focused back on Krystal, where his eyes widened as he saw that she was surrounded by Marines and Cultists, her swinging her staff all around her to keep them at bay. He shook his head, focused, and concentrated on giving her some cover. Suddenly, another Cultist lurked up from behind him, he cried out in fright and dove out the way of his laspistol blast. He squealed and charged at him, Jakob immediately shoved his rifle into his mouth and the Cultist gagged painfully.

He growled as his fingered tightened on the trigger, "You little bastard!"

He then discharged the rifle and the Cultist's head exploded. Krystal slightly panicked when she realised that she wasn't being given any cover, immediately she felt a Cultist's blade skim across her blue-coloured chest armour. She gritted her teeth and retaliated with a sharp kick to the face, breaking his jaw. She then swung her staff and knocked him off his feet.

Another Marine fired his bolter at the vixen, where she put up a shield and the bolter round harmlessly bounced off, as did the swords of the other Marine as they rushed her. Once the Marine ran out of ammo, she charged him and she struck him across the face, the power emitting from the staff breaking his neck and snuffing out his life.

Just as another Marine was about to swing at her, he felt a rail blast pierce his chest plate and his heart, exploding it and the blood spurting out from the wound. Krystal finished him off with a kick to his metallic chest. Her luck finally ran out when she was tackled from behind by another Marine…

"GAHHHHH!"

…who pinned her down on the sand, where he aimed his bolter down at her chest, before looking up at the hill and towards Jakob's position.

"Alien scum!" the Marine cried out, "Put down your weapon or the vixen will catch a bolt in her pretty blue face."

Jakob gasped, before he frowned and put his weapon down, before standing up at the top of the hill with his hands above her head, where immediately he saw eight boltguns and four laspistols trained on him. The Marine kicked the staff out of Krystal's hands, before a Cultist picked it up and studied it with much curiosity. He scratched his forehead.

"One Cerinian staff can do this much damage?" the Cultist queried.

"Well, it won't be causing the Dark Gods any more harm any time soon," the Aspiring Champion snapped

He snatched the staff from the Cultist and held it firmly in his free hand, the other holding a chainsword. He smiled down at Krystal, revealing his yellow, rotten teeth and his black-coloured tongue, which immediately make her physically sick.

"But on the other hand, my dear Cerinian beauty," the Champion went on with much glee, "Once we are done with you, you will cause the Imperium of Man and the False Emperor much deserved harm, even death maybe. No scratch that…"

He laughed out loud, where the other Marines joined in.

"…you WILL kill the False Emperor!"

Suddenly something struck right in the ground behind the Marines and Cultists, sending them all flying and especially the one who was holding Krystal down. The vixen covered her eyes to protect them from the hot sand rising up from the ground. The Champion cried out in pain as he landed on the ground and dropped the staff, where as he and the Marine picked themselves out, they gasped at what they saw.

"What in the name of…" one of the Marine cried, gripping his boltgun

"LOYALIST SCUM!" a Cultist screamed, "INQUISITION!"

Completely forgetting about Krystal, they drew their swords and rushed over to what appeared to be Marine drop pod, where immediately it's door flew open and detached where it struck the Cultist over the head and sending him onto the ground, dead. Krystal gripped her staff as took notice of the fact that the Marine's weren't focused on her. She charged and drove her staff through the armour of one Marine, before putting her feet up on his chest and pulling it out, just as he toppled backwards.

She dodged a few bolter rounds as she fired off a few fire blasts of her own, and hitting another Marine off his feet, before rushing over and driving her staff through his skull. A Cultist took a swing at her, before being blasted through the chest courtesy of Jakob's rail rifle. Suddenly the last Aspiring Champion reared up behind her, and Jakob fumbled as he pulled the empty clip out of his smoking rail rifle.

"Damn it!" he cried.

Krystal's gasped as the Champion smacked her against the face with the blunt side of his blade, intending to take her alive whilst the other Marines and Cultist dealt with the drop pod. But before he could reach for her throat with his rusted metallic hands, he felt several storm bolter rounds tear through the fabric of his being, ridding him full of holes. Krystal rolled over on the ground and out the way as the corpsd toppled over forward, before picking herself up and seeing that the person who had just saved her life had just emerged from the drop pod. Dead Chaos Marines and Cultists laid at his feet as his grey armour appeared to shine like the heavens, and the wind made the blue cape flow freely from behind him.

Krystal's eyes widened in disbelief, seeing whom it was, where she softly said, "My…God."

The same disbelief affected Jakob as he removed his good eye from the scope of his rifle, not believing what was standing before Krystal, where in his left hand he was holding a glowing power sword and his right, armoured hand had a storm bolter built into it.

His mouth was wide open with shock, as he realised what was emerging from the pod, "No way!"


	9. Chapter 8: Reunited

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_Edits made:_ Description of the Grey Knight

* * *

Chapter 8 – Reunited

* * *

Falco felt the ground shake underneath him as the drop pod landed roughly into the hill, sending sand and rock flying high into the air. He, Katt, three Fire Warriors and a Broadsuit Battlesuit were slowly advancing forwards; gradually cutting down the relatively small Chaos forces. O'Shovah turned towards the direction of the drop pod, and zoomed in to see that Krystal was standing before it.

Before he had the chance to open his communication channel in order to express his surprise…

"Hey, did you feel that?" Falco cried out loud as he swung his pulse rifle and clubbed down a Cultist, before bringing it down it on his head again and splattering it.

"Yeah!" Katt exclaimed amidst all the gunfire.

The broadsuit targeted the nearest Chaos Marine squad and launched a volley of missiles, sending them all flying, where one landed before the suit, which extended it's foot forward and crushed his head into the sand.

"It felt like something hit the ground from above," a Fire Warrior cried out, "Almost like a…"

"A Space Marine drop pod!" O'Shovah exclaimed loudly, "Landed just across that hill near the Cerinian…and more or less saved her life."

Faclo turned to see that a few yards away near Krystal's position the Space Marine drop pod had launched. But instead of the ultramarine-blue coloured pods they had seen in the past, this one was coloured shiny grey.

Falco's eyes widened as he continued to fire, "What the hell…?"

He was interrupted when a Cultist came at him with an axe. He frowned as he was interrupted once again, where he swept-kicked the Cultist off his feet and onto the sand. He then aimed his carbine down at him and discharged it into his back, blowing out his chest and giving him his much earned and undignified death. He fired again and killed another Cultist, and then swung the butt of his rifle against another and knocked him out.

They heard a mechanical roar and saw that the blind Defiler sensed another psychic presence. It roared and tore up the hill up the hill, knocking any Tau and remaining Chaos forces in it's path as it headed straight for Krystal and the drop pod, just as it's occupant emerged from the pod.

----------

Krystal's eyes widened as she stepped back from the drop pod and the Space Marine standing before her. But this one was different than the other Space Marines she encountered in the past, radically different. The armour was a shiny grey colour with golden trimmings and right shoulder guard inscribed with runes. This included red coloured _**purity seals**_ with a blue loincloth situated between his armoured legs, covering the crotch area, which carried the _**Omega**_ _**Ultramarine**_ insignia. His left arm featured a storm bolter built into his left hand. In his right hand carried a large gold-encrusted _**Nemesis Force**_ sword, which brimmed with pure clean Psyker energy. His helmet looked almost medieval in appearance with dark green eye-ports. To top it all off, he also wore a flowing blue cape held with a brooch around his neck.

And with the Grey Knight insignia (a sword in a book) on his left shoulder plate and the golden Inquisitorial seal located on his chest plating, in all he reassembled a futuristic medieval knight.

What immediately caught her eye was the green emerald necklace that dangled from his neck over the brooch. A necklace, which she thought she would never see again, the same one that was given to a dear friend just before he parted from her that year ago.

"Jacques?" Krystal cried, feeling happiness well up within her, a smile forming on her face, "Oh my God!"

The 'Grey Knight's' head jerked up and saw the Defiler heading straight for him and the vixen. He raised his bolter upwards and begun firing at the mechanical beast, it in turn cried out in pain as it felt the armour-piercing rounds tear through it and hit the daemon embedded within it. Krystal spun around and saw the Defiler, gripping her staff and aiming at it

The Knight stepped forward and without uttering a word gently pushed her behind him, surprising her. He then suddenly charged at it, almost at the speed of light, gripping his sword with the full intention to drive it through the Chaos war machine. The Defiler sensed the Knight approaching and swung it's arm at him, he ducked his head and avoided his blow, before he swung his sword and hacked off it's left hand. It roared again in pain and fired it's flamethrower at the Knight, who was unfazed as the flames engulfed him.

The Knight roared with might and drove the sword through the 'torso' of the machine, cutting into the daemon and slicing upwards. The daemon felt itself leave it's shell and let out a blood-curdling scream as pain shot through it's spiritual form. The Knight swung again and struck the daemon through it's head. A bright crimson light surrounded it as it was sent back to the Warp. The empty Defiler exploded in a large fireball.

Krystal watched horrified as the flames engulfed the Knight, as did the Tau from the other side of the hill. Jakob saw this from his vantage point with amazement. He looked over at the Tau force and saw that the Chaos forces now lay dead at their feet, Cultist and Marine alike. He turned back to the remains of the Defiler and the flames around it, and felt his mind snap with disbelief as he saw the Knight walk out the flames, still holding his sword and right fist clenched, unfazed by the crimson flames.

Jakob saw that he was walking towards Krystal, instinctively raising his rifle and looking through the scope, seeing that his right shoulder plating bored the Imperial Inquisitorial mark. He narrowed his anger.

'To think it would be a cold day in Hell I'd see a damn Grey Knight itself in my sights,' he thought bitterly, 'Time to correct that right now!'

He finger tightened on the trigger, which immediately loosened when he saw that Krystal was stepping towards him as well, a contented look on her face. He lowered the rifle as he noticed that she was now standing right before him, looking up at the Grey Knights face, him in return gazing down at her, his hands clenching and unclenching, almost like he was nervous.

"What is this?" he said to himself.

The Tau forces quickly turned to face the Grey Knight in the distance. They immediately aimed their weapons at him and each of their trigger-fingers were itching to deliver death to the oppressive smooth-skinned mammals known as humans, starting with this lone Inquisitorial-aligned Space Marine. But when they noticed that Krystal did not try to fight or run from the Grey Knight, they felt compelled to lower their weapons slightly and edge their fingers away from the trigger.

O'Shovah curiously zoomed in the Grey Knight, and contemplated why he was not charging forward to smash him into the rocks, but rather to witness what would happen next.

----------

Krystal looked closely at the Grey Knight and his dark-green eye ports, her mouth agape slightly as she struggled to find the correct words to greet the Knight, who had just saved her from a blind, berserk Defiler. It would appear the knight in return was in the same state, as they stared closely into one another's eyes, and almost in their souls.

"J…Jacques?" Krystal finally said, feeling her eyes beginning to tear up as a short smile appeared on her face.

The Grey Knight continued to look at her in a hesitant matter, before he spoke in a slightly deep, distorted yet recognisable voice.

"Krystal."

Krystal extended her hand forward and placed it on the side of his helmet, hoping he could sense her touch through his armour. He moved his hand to hold onto her caress, holding it there for a few seconds, where Krystal sensed him breathing in deeply, as if savouring her touch even though it was on his helmet.

"Jacques. Is it…is it really you?"

The Grey Knight nodded, removing Krystal's hand from the side of his helmet and holding it between the both of them. He quickly realised how to address her…

"Princess Krystal of Cerinia."

The Grey Knight dropped his sword onto the rocky ground and stretched his arms outwards as Krystal moved forward and embraced him, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder, her heart beating very freely and very joyfully within her chest. The Grey Knight moved her arms around Krystal's back in return as the tears now flowing freely from her eyes, only that now they were of immense happiness, also evident by her smile.

"I missed you, Jacques," she sobbed, wiping the tears from her eyes as she pulled away from him to look into his eyes, "God, I missed you so much."

"As have I," he responded kindly, "Dear Krystal."

The Tau forces a few yards away watched the exchange between the Knight and the Cerinian, lowering their weapons when they immediately saw Krystal had dove for him and they were now hugging amidst the bodies of the Chaos troops. They had been overwhelmed by the Tau's superior firepower from the start and had no hope of capturing the Cerinian.

Falco squinted to make out the Grey Knight, "Holy shit! Is that who I think it is?"

Katt shook his head and smiled gently, "Well, what do you know? And in the nick of time, too."

Jakob on the other hand, was understandably confused by all of this. He thought about plugging the Grey Knight right here and now, but he did not want to hurt Krystal in the process. He stood up and slung his rifle over his shoulder. The other two Pathfinders watched as he begun walking down towards them, where just as they soon parted, the both of them turned to face the Tau force, who was all looking curiously at them. The Grey Knight, identified to be Jacques, looked over away from the hill and saw that the last of the Chaos Predators was driving off into the distance. He pointed towards the tank, the Tau Force turning to see it trying to get away.

They immediately fired their weapons at it; especially the Crisis Suits as they emptied their missile pods, the deadly projectiles hurtling towards it. They quickly hit the mark and blew it apart, releasing warp-driven energy, which dissipated, into the air. Falco crossed his arms and smirked.

"Guess the bastards thought they could sneak away, eh?" he remarked.

"They could not," O'Shovah agreed with finality, "They tried, but they could…"

Suddenly large tentacles emerged from the sands of the desert and the wreckage was pulled under. A deafening roar followed as Falco's smirk promptly faded from his face, replaced by a rather worried frown.

"Er…was that meant to happen?" he then asked.

"Not it was not," the heavily distorted voice of Jacques Mortensen replied as he and Krystal, followed closely behind by Jakob, stepped up to O'Shovah.

O'Shovah looked at the Grey Knight closely, wanting him quickly identify himself or face being vaporised where he stood. He asked, "And who may you be, bold invader from Terra?"

"Who I am is not important at the moment, Commander Farsight of T'au," the Grey Knight responded, crossing his arms, "As of right now you are all in danger."

Krystal's eyes widened as she stepped away from his side and stood before him, "What?"

"My, this is a way to greet yourself after falling down from the sky and finishing the battle," Katt stated, "You remember me?"

"Lombardi mentioned you a couple of times, Katt Monroe," Jacques explained, "But like I said, all this talk is irrelevant at the moment."

Jakob decided to join the conversation, in the process almost confronting the Knight.

"Why is that, Imperial?" Jakob questioned loudly, "What's so important right now?"

Immediately the desert sand half-a-mile away erupted like a volcano, spewing the hot ground high in the air. Katt, Falco and Krystal turned towards it, startled. Jacques, O'Shovah and Jakob looked at it calmly. Jacques raised his hand and pointed at it calmly.

"That…is more important," Jacques replied quickly.

Emerging from the sand was what appeared to be a massive skeletal bug like creature, much like the one Team Star Fox encountered on their last visit here ten years ago which took Slippy hostage after he was literally sent hurtling down towards it's surface.

"By the Greater Good!" the Shas'ui of Jakob's squad exclaimed as he and team ran to join them, "O'Shovah, that beast is HUGE!"

Immediately hundreds upon hundreds of smaller insectoid-like creatures identical to the large creature raise themselves up from the ground around the behemoth creature, each one letting out a shriek as they exposed themselves to the hot air of the planet, having not being able to for nearly hundreds of years. O'Shovah zoomed in on the smaller ones and saw them crowding against the large one, as if for protection.

"Tell me what the fuck I'm seeing?" Falco groaned, "Someone please tell me."

"Just what I exactly foreseen," Jacques replied, before drawing his sword and clinching his right fist and prepping his bolter, "The Warp-driven emanations from the Chaos Sorcerer have reached the remains of this planet's long-dead fauna and have resurrected them."

"In other words?" Falco quickly added.

"Those things are undead!" Krystal exclaimed, "Mutants! Zombies! Whichever you may call them!"

O'Shovah and the Tau readied themselves for another attack. Of the two hundred Tau that had started out fighting against the first wave of the Chaos forces, only sixty-seven lost their lives in the most horrible fashion of being turned into mincemeat at close-range. The remaining one hundred and thirty-three stood their ground as the mutant shamblings, led by the massive behemoth insect, charged towards them from nearly half-a-click away.

"Statistically, there's no way we're going to survive this!" Jakob estimated, then turned to Jacques and continued rather calmly, "Thank you for dropping by, anyway."

"Oh you with little faith," Jacques addressed him, almost sympathetically, "Stand here and watch your salvation fall from the skies."

Suddenly upon saying that, a blast of high-powered energy shot courtesy from a lance cannon shot from the clouds above and devastated the mutants and cutting through the behemoth and blowing it apart, in the process vaporising all the creatures who stood around it. Falco cried out in shock as they saw with wide eyes what appeared to have been a lance-cannon blast wipe out the entire group of bugs. Immediately more groups of mutant shamblings appeared from beneath the sands in droves, each one led by a behemoth version of the creatures.

"Suppose you can call this Round Two?" Katt remarked cynically.

Immediately they all heard what sounded like the high-powered engines of atmospheric aircraft coming from behind. Jacques turned around and looked up at the sky, followed by those around him. They were immediately shocked at what they saw flying above them.

Valkyrie transport ships emerged from the clouds and begun swooping around the area, escorted by Vulture gunships, a few of which begun to lay down suppressing fire on the approaching mutant hordes, with the Tau force watching the show. They then saw the Valkyries touching down on the rocky hill, where immediately human Imperial Guardsmen poured out.

The Guardsmen were equipped in dark green flak armour, where their camouflage fatigues was a mix of palm green and lime. They had the familiar Imperial Guard insignia on their right shoulder guard, which was a housed human skull, but on the other was a different insignia.

It was green-coloured hand gripping a green-blue coloured planet, with a sash over it. It had the word 'Eden' written on it.

The Tau's communicators and radios picked up the chatter over the Imperial com lines.

_First and Fourth squads secure left flank, Second and Third secure right. Fifth and Sixth squads on me. Cover the Tau force and prepare for immediate engagement of mutant contacts._

_Sir, yes sir._

_Right away, sir._

The Tau force was situated in the centre of the hill where they immediately cleared out of the way as a drop ship hovered above and landed roughly on the hill. The doors opened and out stepped a rather tall, dark browned haired man in his early forties dressed in a grey military uniform with a full suit of carapace body armour with a green-coloured battle raiment. He had what appeared to have a red-glowing vision enhancer situated over his left eye and was armed with a chainsword in one hand and a plasma pistol in the other.

He stepped over towards O'Shovah accompanied by twenty Guardsmen, the Tau commander turning to face him.

"We'll take it from here," the Imperial Officer's first words to him were.

O'Shovah stared down at him and asked, "And who are you, human?"

"**Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander** of the **1****st**** Kronus Regiment**," the officer addressed himself and his men, "Military arm of the Children of Eden. We're here to give you a hand at the request of Commander Mortensen."

O'Shovah's communicator buzzed, which he answered, "Armoured Platoon, report?"

_Shas'O Shovah, Imperial aircraft have been sighed in your vicinity. Are you alright? Shall we engage them from here?_

O'Shovah glanced over at Alexander, who crossed his arms as he awaited a response.

"Negative_,"_ O'Shovah responded sharply, "Bring yourselves to our position immediately and reinforce us. We have bigger threats that need be neutralised."

_Affirmative, Shas'O, _the Hammerhead tank pilot acknowledged, _We're on our way._

The Hammerheads and the Battlesuits with them moved forward towards the mouth of the canyon. They begun to navigate themselves through the narrow path, oblivious to what await them on the other side.

The hundreds of mutants that were had managed to avoid the barrage from the Imperial aircraft continued to advance. The Imperial Guard quickly got into permission and aimed their weapons at the incoming horde as they advanced across the sand towards them. The Tau quickly reorganised themselves and raised their weapons, facing the incoming enemy force.

"Hold your ground, Shas'la!" O'Shovah exclaimed, "We shall make quick work of these abominations, just like we did of those fallen humans!"

O'Shovah then looked down at Alexander. If it weren't for his helmet, he would have smirked.

"The more the merrier, Governor," O'Shovah blurted.

Alexander nodded and returned the smirk. He then shouted as he raised his chainsword into the air, "Liberators! Prepare to fire on my command!"

Jacques raised his sword into the air, clinching his right fist at the same time. Falco, Krystal, Katt, Jakob and O'Shovah aimed their weapons as well. Alexander looked over at O'Shovah with a rather soft look.

"I'm sorry we haven't introduced ourselves formally yet," Alexander said, "But I assure you, we come in peace."

"I'm sure of it, human," O'Shovah responded.

Before any of Star Fox and even the Tau had a chance to realise it, they were now being joined and supported by sixty normally hostile Imperial Guardsmen, each one equipped with weaponry ranging from lasguns, grenade launchers and plasma rifles. Krystal looked both ways and saw the line of defenders standing beside her.

_I apologise our reunion has been cut short and to be like this, _she heard Jacques speak to her mentally, _On the field of battle on a Death World._

Krystal smiled as she gripped her staff and responded in thought, 'No need to apologise, love. At least you're here now.'

Jacques was surprised at hearing her refer to him as 'love.' He shook his head, immediately reasoning that it was a sign of affection between the closest of friends, or more like spiritual siblings. He was glad as hell that the both of them were together again, but he had wished that their reunion could have been somewhere…less hostile.

Alexander gritted his teeth and lowered his fist, shouting at the top of his lungs, "FIRE!"

O'Shovah followed in kind, shouting, "FIRE WARRIORS, OPEN FIRE!"

Jacques lowered his sword and opened up with his bolter, immediately joined by the Guardsmen and the Fire Warriors, who let loose both laser, pulse and plasma against the incoming mutant hordes. The mutants cried out in pain as they felt themselves get ripped to shreds at range, pieces flying everywhere and their exposed hearts exploding in their chests, followed by their bodies. The Imperial Guardsmen at once all let out battle cries as their fingers tightened painfully against their triggers.

"KEEP THE LASER COMING, MEN!" one Imperial sergeant cried out, "FOR THE EMPEROR!"

One insectoid mutant leapt high into the air and landed before Krystal, where Jacques was quick to swing his sword and relieve it of it's rotting head, before kicking the body down and driving the sword through it's heart. He then continued firing his bolter at the apparently suicidal mutants as they charged their guns. Some more mutants made it through, only to be engaged by Krystal who charged their way and swung her staff at the nearest mutant and driving it through it's chest. She backflipped in the air to avoid a rotting claw, before performing enough swing and relieving them of all their heads at once.

'These things…are disgusting,' she thought unpleasantly, 'Just like the Aparoids.'

The bigger mutants moved forward slowly. Alexander tapped into his headset communicator and ordered, "All aircraft. Focus your fire only on the larger mutants. We're handling their spawn beautifully."

_Affirmative, Governor-Militant, _the pilot on the other line confirmed.

The Vulture aircraft formed and passed over the defenders on the rocks, then headed straight for the nearest behemoth mutant and launched their payloads of missiles at it. It screamed out loud as they struck his chest and heart and exploded it from the inside, scattering pieces of rotting bug flesh and ribcage everywhere.

But still the mutants kept on charging, though their numbers were now dwindling.

'By the Emperor, these things are relentless as Tyranids,' Alexander and Jacques thought as one.

A group of slightly better armoured creatures managed to get a few meters from the Imperial Guard/Tau force, prompting Jacques to step forward and stretch his palm towards them. Immediately a blast of powerful psychic energy shot forth from his hand and sent them all flying into the air, where the aircraft targeted them as they were airborne and fired their vulcan cannons at them. They squealed as they exploded.

Ten seconds later the sands before the rocky hills were completely filled with the remains of thousands upon thousands of dead mutant insectoid-like creatures. Which was all the result of the Cornerian barrage upon the planet eons ago, mixed with the Chaotic emanation from the Warp-crazed fallen humans that had established a presence on this Death World.

Jacques knew this for a fact as he sheathed his sword, amidst the cries of cheers of victory from both Tau and Imperial. He felt Alexander give him a friendly pat on the shoulder, smiling slightly before exhaling gently.

"Well done, Mortensen," Alexander said, "Shall we introduce ourselves to _the_ Commander Farsight now?"

"Yes, Governor," Jacques responded, "The sooner they know of our reasons here, the sooner they may want to fight beside us against what is to come, now that Chaos taints Lylat."

Alexander nodded as the both of them turned to see O'Shovah, who was immediately standing before the both of them, accompanied by a battlesuit and a broadsuit. Six Imperial Guards rushed to back up Jacques and Alexander. The cheers of both the Imperials and the Tau immediately faded as both factions immediately took both sides of the hill and faced one another down.

Falco, Katt and Krystal found themselves in the middle, along with O'Shovah, Jakob, Alexander and Jacques.

"Now that these hostilities have been dealt with," O'Shovah remarked, sensing that the Hammerhead Tanks had now made it through the hill and were joining them, "It is time for you Imperials to explain yourselves."

"Of course," Alexander said, "Just so long we'll be hearing your story as well."

"Gladly," O'Shovah responded, slightly vehemently.

Jacques crossed his arms, "I think I know what needs be taken cared of right away."

He faced Katt, Krystal and Falco; the trio feeling uncomfortable that someone that sound like Jacques, yet at the moment doesn't even remotely look like him was possibly looking into their minds and staring into their souls. Jacques stretched his hand forward in a friendly matter towards Falco.

"How would you judge our descent onto the battlefield?" Jacques asked, sounding rather humorous.

Falco's eye widened, before he narrowed his eyes, smirked and shook his hand firmly, "I'd give it an Eight."

Jacques surprisingly chuckled, "That is a shame. We should have come sooner then."

----------

"Damnation. I was miles off…"

The Chaos Sorcerer known as Artemis frowned as he got off his knees to stand firmly on his own two feet in the dark chamber, his helmet on a nearby steel table. Just like any other Chaotic human face his was worn and emancipated through thousands of years of living in the Other Side. But one could see that his eyes were a vile sludge green colour and his red hair, arranged in a mohawk, sprouted from his head.

He opened his crimson glowing eyes and reached over and put his helmet back on his head, where he then heard the steel door leading into the chamber open loudly, a Chaos champion standing in the doorway and holding a green-splattered sword in his right hand.

"Sorcerer!" the Champion snarled, "Your pet undead bugs just tried to break into the base. We've lost ten Cultists, and two Marines have lost their legs."

"Oh, dear," Artemis faked a cringe, "It would seem when it comes to possessing the fallen, Chaos is without restraint."

The Champion narrowed his eyes, "The Lord hopes that those shambling mutants have torn those Tau into pieces and have at least not dismembered the Cerinian."

Artemis shook his head gently, "No, they have not. And they will never again, seeing as how the Imperium has decided to join the fray."

The Champion's eyes widened, before he growled, "The lapdogs of the False Emperor?"

Artemis smirked, "Not of the Imperium, actually. But what they believe to be a cause that would no doubt be in the name of the Emperor."

"ARTEMIS!"

The Champion nearly jumped at hearing the Chaos Lord shout out loud, while Artemis didn't so much as flinch. He walked past the champion out the door, revealing he had been kneeling in an abandoned silo-like supply depot. He stepped onto the yellowish blood-encrusted asphalt of the base, the bodies of the mutants scattered all over, mingling with ten mutilated Cultist bodies.

He noticed a helmetless Marine standing over a moaning mutant creature, where he aimed his boltgun straight at the mutant and fired a fifty-caliber rocket propelled bolt into it's skull and blowing it apart. The Marine then spat on the corpse, before being shoved aside by Lord Ezekiel as he stormed, nearly fuming, towards the Sorcerer.

"Just what do you call this?" Ezekiel demanded, "You said they would be under our control!"

"A minor setback, I must admit," Artemis responded smugly, "But it's nothing compared to what has just landed on this world barely minutes ago."

"No need to tell me, Sorcerer," Ezekiel growled, "I have sensed Imperial presence as well: One solitary Delta-level Psyker of a Grey Knight, and an entire contingent of Imperial Guard. Add the Tau presence the strike force reported earlier before they met their deaths and we are cataclysmically overwhelmed."

Artemis frowned, "Then we should request reinforcements, my lord."

Ezekiel shook his head, "The Despoiler, and the entire Crusade would see us as weak. If we think of begging for aid the Gods will abandon us. We will simply engage this mixed force, even if it would mean the cost of our lives."

"We die purely out of honour?" Artemis queried.

Ezekiel frowned and quipped, "If you were to tame your pet mutants, then that would not be an issue."

Suddenly, a winged mutant resembling a wolf-crossed with a housefly flew over the wall and darted towards Ezekiel and Artemis. The Marines in the compound raised their weapons, the Chaos Lord gripped his scythe, and they prepared to face the bug, just as Artemis chuckled quietly and raised his staff towards it. Immediately it stopped itself in midair and retracted it's claws, landing before the Sorcerer. Artemis then stretched his hand forward and stroke the furred mutant.

"No, my lord," the Sorcerer groused, "It would not."

Ezekiel smiled, realising that he had just gotten through to the Sorcerer, who in return had finally gotten through to the mutants, which they had in fact released onto this world.

----------

In his private chambers at his desk sat Aun'shi of the Ethereal Caste, his fingers bristling his chin as he thought about the events of what was transpiring. Who would have known that his years worth of searching for the traitorous Farsight Enclaves themselves would bring him here to the 'furry' sector: The Lylat System? Four of those furries were on board this ship, one of which had just endured surgery to remove a fridge handle from his chest.

Who else would have known that the Forces of Chaos were operating in this sector? And were now gunning for them, and in response had sent the legendary Shas'O Shovah – Commander Farsight himself, and his Enclave followers to deal with them. One of those Lylatians also happened to be a Cerinian; a member of the long dead spiritually and physically perfected race of foxes, all dead because of the Imperium's greed and hopelessness.

He sighed through clinched teeth and closed eyes as he tried to focus his mind, but to no avail. He contemplated sending a distress call to the homeworld T'au and calling for reinforcements, knowing that they must stop Chaos here or they would spread to the other parts of the universe. That was the Tau's mission: To preserve and unite life.

_Ethereal, _his com beeped, _We have a situation in the control room._

"What is it?" Aun'shi asked.

_Imperial forces have landed on the planet and have engaged O'Shovah and the Lylatians._

Aun'shi gasped, but managed to keep it as a mere squeak, "The Imperium?"

----------

"Are you guys for real?" Falco demanded, somewhat enthusiastically.

"I never thought it would be possible," O'Shovah added with slight glee, "The Children of Eden? The survivors of that doomed peaceful world?

Katt, Krystal, Falco and Jakob sat firmly on the rocks as they listened to Jacques and Alexander explain themselves to them and the entire Tau force. Every one of those Fire Warriors listened eagerly, almost beginning to sympathise with these humans, who had now revealed themselves to be a misplaced, persecuted, desperate group.

Jacques explained, "We are not part of the Imperium of Man any more. We are the results of the Inquisition pushing us in the wrong direction for the last time, and as a result the surviving downtrodden and persecuted have elected to strike out on their own, with us as their leaders."

"We're more or less refugees," Alexander further explained, "It's gonna sound cliched as hell, but all seven-thousand of us travel from system to system in search of a new home, with the Inquisition in hot pursuit. Me and the four-thousand strong and proud 1st Kronus Regiment serve as the protectorate of the three-thousand remaining Eden folk and…have our work cut out fighting anything to stands in our way. From the Orkish hordes to marauding Dark Eldar pirates…even the odd Inquisitorial Stormtrooper from time to time."

Krystal rubbed her forehead as she made sense of everything, "You're homeworld was this planet called Eden?"

Jacques nodded, "Yes. It was nearly a perfect world with everyone living in peaceful coexistence. Human, Eldar, Tau, and other races that were yet to be known to the Imperium…before they were all wiped out in a matter of hours."

"Strange," Krystal pondered, "I thought you said that only you and most of the human children were the only survivors when your planet was blown up."

"That was what I thought as well," Jacques stated, "Until I was…"

Suddenly Valkyrie dropships descended from the atmosphere, the roar of their engines disturbing the talk and sending every Tau warrior onto his feet in preparation for their landing. Upon touching down, the transports dispensed more troops, heavy weapons and vehicles. Heavy Weapons squads mingled with elite masked Kasrkin stormtroopers as they hopped off the ships and onto the hot sand, alongside the Leman Russ tredge tanks, the multilaser-equipped Chimera Armoured Personnel Carriers and the two-legged Sentinel walkers. They all immediately felt the heat of the planet upon making contact with the surface, one Kasrikin sergeant wiping his forehead, before adjusting his headset communicator and reporting to Governor-Militant Alexander.

"Sir," the sergeant said saluting, "All squads and armaments ready for deployment."

"Thank you, sergeant," Alexander responded, "Prepare to move out."

"Yes, sir."

The sergeant passed by Jakob as he rejoined his squad, as the seated young Gue'vesa begun to feel uncomfortable and nauseous over seeing so much Imperium gathering around him and his people. Jacques glanced over at Jakob…

_Be at ease, Shas'la Jakob of Calth, _he projected his thoughts into Jakob's mind, _We are here to aid you against the Forces of Chaos. Be at ease._

'I will, once you get out of my mind,' Jakob thought vehemently and hoping he would hear him, 'And you Imperials remove yourselves from our presence.'

_We can not do that, _Jacques countered, _As long as Chaos exists; so do we._

Jakob glared over at Jacques and sat up, before walking over to his Pathfinder Team. He looked over at Krystal, Katt and Falco, realising something very important about his friends. He stepped over to them, and they turned towards him.

"Fox McCloud and Slippy Toad," Jacques said, "Where are they?"

Falco rolled his eyes and said, "Slippy's pissed off with his old man and his girlfriend to some research facility and Fox…he's…"

"Incapacitated," Katt added, "When we crashed…"

Jacques raised his palm, signalling her to stop talking. He expressed, "No need to tell me. I just already knew."

Katt glared, "You read my mind without asking me?"

"No, it is a typical scenario when it comes to crash landings," Jacques lectured, eyes downcast in sadness, "There is always at least one casualty. But I think we should thank the Gods he is still alive."

"Heh, the Gods," Falco chuckled mirthlessly, "Somehow religion is the reason we're all screwed right now."

"Relax, Lombardi," Alexander observed, crossing his arms, "It's the Chaos Gods that are your enemies. You should have faith in whomever you worship. What was his name?

Falco frowned, "God."

"Yes," Alexander narrowed his eyes, "Him."

O'Shovah moved closer to Alexander, "I do not think that Aun'shi would appreciate your company, seeing as how you once fought against us ten years ago."

Alexander downcast his eyes, "Don't remind me. It was our victory that costed us nearly our lives. We secured Kronus, but that really pissed the Blood Ravens off. And it's because of them that we've decided to join the refugees and their everlasting pilgrim across the universe."

If it were ever possible, they would have seen O'Shovah frown madly at him. They saw his vehemence through the way he extended his blade and edged it towards Alexander's head. Several Guardsmen noticed this…

"GOVERNOR! LOOK OUT!"

…and they rushed to his aid. Alexander looked behind himself and waved them down with his hand. He then turned to face the battlesuited Tau Commander.

"We will never forgive you for what happened on our colony world, Governor," O'Shovah threatened, "And if wasn't for the fact you just saved our lives and plan to help us rid this planet of the cultists, I would have relieved you of your head."

Alexander smirked, "I wouldn't mind if you did, Tau. To me life is now nothing more than an empty grey stillness, ever since I lost my commission and our ties with the Imperium has all but severed. All we have now is our weapons, and our faith."

Getting annoyed from playing little part in this conversation, Jakob asked, "What happened to you and your troops anyway?"

Alexander glanced over at Jakob and was about to respond when O'Shovah's communicator beeped.

"Shas'O Shovah here," O'Shovah acknowledged the transmission.

_Shas'O, what in the Greater Good is going on over there? _Aun'shi cried from his line, _Our sensors detect Imperial activity near…wait…__**at**__ your position._

"A disenfranchised Imperial Guard company has just aided us in dispatching the remnants of this planet's mutated wildlife," O'Shovah explained, "Their commanders are Jacques Mortensen and Lukas Alexander."

_LUKAS ALEXANDER?_ Aun'shi practically shouted in disbelief over the coms, _GOVERNOR-MILITANT ALEXANDER FROM KRONUS?_

"The very same," O'Shovah responded, "But I can assure you, he comes in peace."

_The first chance that dictator gets, he will kill us all, _Aun'shi shouted, _You will engage him and his men immediately._

"I'm afraid that's impossible, Ethereal," O'Shovah said, glancing over at everyone and seeing they were looking at him, "They outnumber us a hundred to one and besides, they want to help us destroy the Chaos forces here."

Am I not making myself clear? Are my words not comprehendible? Is our situation not critical enough as it is? I command you to… 

O'Shovah heard static come in over his communications, where he begun switching channels, but finding each one is overridden with white noise. Not wanting to overload his sensor he switched them off.

Jacques head jerked upward, sensing taint in the air. He drew his sword and readied his bolter

"The foul taint of Chaos is at work," Jacques sneered, "They must be interfering with your communications."

"Then screw all this reminiscing, let's go kick their asses already," Falco cried, "The sooner we finish off these remaining rotting tin cans we can get off this dustbowl."

Alexander nodded and dialled his communicator, "This is Alexander to the _**Augustus. **_Drop status?"

_All four hundred requested troops and ground armour have landed at your position, _the other line responded,_ Reserve units are standing by in case things get more dicey down there._

This was confirmed as he looked around and saw all the troops around him on stand by and awaiting orders. He smiled and said, "Thank you, Augustus. Keep in touch and inform us if Chaos makes another move."

_Sir! _the other line exclaimed, _Chaos warship detected in our vicinity. Permission to engage?_

Alexander frowned, "Granted. Make sure Chaos doesn't even think of trying to get out of here alive."

_Roger that. Fleet is moving in to engage._

Alexander switched off his communicator, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Kronus Liberators, Children of Eden! WE ARE MOVING OUT!"

The Guardsmen all saluted and immediately begun to pile into the Chimeras. Another sergeant reported to him.

"Sirs," he addressed both Jacques and Alexander, "The Mobile Command Centre has landed."

Alexander smiled, "About damn time. I'm starting to smell my own soles cook from this sand."

They looked up at the sky to see a large eight-wheeled armoured vehicle equipped with multiple cannons and bolters descend from the sky, lifted by two Valkyries. It featured a few radar antennas, dishes and an observation window. It touched down on the sand just as the other Imperial vehicles begun to move out.

"Care to join us?" Alexander said to the Lylatians.

Falco shrugged, "Beats being crammed into an overflowing APC stuffed with a dozen human bigots."

"Commander Farsight?" Jacques spoke, "Will you be joining us for the assault?"

"Gladly," O'Shovah nodded his 'head,' before relaying to his troops, "WARRIORS! WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TO ENGAGE CHAOS!"

The Fire Warriors, Battlesuits and Hammerheads sprung into action as they filed up and proceeded to move alongside the Imperial vehicles north where Chaos awaited them. O'Shovah turned to Jakob just before he and his squad could join their brothers.

"Accompany our 'guests', Shas'la," O'Shovah ordered.

"Yes, Shas'O," Jakob responded, before narrowing his eyes and realising Jacques and Alexander would see it as his back was turned, "Right away."

Alexander, Jacques, Fox, Krystal, Katt and Jakob walked towards the MCC and up it's steps into it, where a war room greeted them, with technicians at work at the computer consoles situated against the walls.

"GOVERNOR-MILITANT ON THE DECK!" a sergeant cried out with authority.

Every technician and Guardsmen present stood up from their seats and stood to attention.

"At ease," Alexander said, "Back to your stations. Prepare to move out."

The door into the command centre closed behind them, where immediately it begun to move forward and join up with the Imperial and Tau convoy. They sat at the table, Alexander taking one end and Jacques taking the other. All the while, Krystal looked at the Grey Knight as if she wasn't sure that it was really him, even though he wore her necklace, which had been her parting gift to him a year ago. She felt she had to see his face before she can be convinced that it was really her spiritual brother.

Jacques knew that without having to look into the cerulean vixen's mind, but somehow he felt like he couldn't. At least not right now anyway.

'Soon, Krystal,' he thought privately to himself, 'Maybe soon.'

"So," Falco was the first to speak, and with a short smile, "What's the battle-plan, Governor-Militant?"

Alexander clasped his hands together and put them on the table, "We already had a plan to deal with Chaos, but now that …"

He looked at Jakob firmly, and with a smile.

"…you Tau are here, things are now complicated. In a good way, that is."

Jakob faked a smirk, "You honour us, Imperial. What's the plan and the rules of engagement?"


	10. Chapter 9: United Offence

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_A/N: I realise that Lukas Alexander is armed with power claws and storm bolter in Dawn of War: Dark Crusade, and that they can be upgrade to power fists and plasma pistol. But I believe that the great General Sturnn deserves to be the only one armed with those weapons. I also honestly believe he should have been the Imperial leader in that game instead of Alexander._

* * *

Chapter 9 – United Offence

* * *

_There are only two forces that unite men -- fear and interest.  
_**- Napoleon Bonaparte, French General, First Consul**

Meanwhile holding orbit above the planet Titania's atmosphere was the Chaos grand cruiser affectionately known as a Repulsive. It was true to it's name with it's hull twisted with all manner of shapes and differing weapon systems ranging from the Warp-infused lance cannons and torpedo launchers. The main bridge crew, consisting only of Cultists, kept a steady vigil – mainly due to the fact that there was an Aspiring Champion walking up and down the bridge with a blood-covered razored whip in hand.

One unlucky Cultist took his eyes off the monitor for one second, and thus was whipped; adding another scar to his messed-up bleeding back, with his Cultist uniform torn and ripped with the constant lashings. The Aspiring Champion smiled, noticing the Cultist cringe in pain. He stepped up to him and peered down towards him menacingly.

"Answer me this, servant of the Hydra," the Champion asked, "If you can't keep your eyes on a monitor for at least one minute at a time, why in the name of the Gods did you volunteer to be part of the command crew of this ship?"

The Cultist looked over his shoulder fearfully and asked, "Be…bec…because they said it was…the easiest way someone…of my…my…stature could fully serve the…Dark Gods."

The Champion frowned and pulled his sword, slashing the Cultist across the back and adding another cut to his back, causing him to cry out; which surprisingly didn't distract any of the other Cultists, and even the Traitor Marine guards. Each of them did not want to face the unstable Aspiring Champion's wrath with his whip and his blade, knowing that this particular individual had a long, cruel history of torturing his subordinates.

"I know what you're all thinking, scum," the Champion growled, "I see those who are not of the perfect genetic stock who try to follow Chaos as little more than scum. This I tell you know…"

He raised his sword and waved it around, causing the crew of the ship to each sweat with fear, noticing that the Champion also wore a sick grin.

"If we fail in bringing the Cerinian bitch back to the Despoiler," the Champion exclaimed, "I will personally skin and gut each and every one of you, and offer your corpses as sacrifices upon the altars of the Dark Gods. Understand?"

Suddenly alarms went off as all heads immediately turned from him and back to their posts. One Cultist wanted to scream out in absolute fright at seeing what was approaching them on the radar. He looked back up fearfully at the Aspiring Champion.

"I…I…Imperial ships are heading straight for us," he reported shakily, "One of them is a Mars-class cruiser. Their weapons are…"

He didn't have time to finish, as several powerful lance cannons then struck the Repulsive, destroying it's weapon system before blowing chunks of the hull. The force of the lances shattered the bridge windows; the vacuum immediately settled in and begun sucking every bit of matter into the dark void. All hands immediately reached for anything to keep themselves from being drawn into space, but to little avail.

The Cultists all screamed as they were sucked out of the Repulsive, each one dying immediately as the pressure forced the air out of their lungs and crushed them. The Aspiring Champion gripped onto the bridge door handle tightly, cursing out loud and immediately blaming the Cultists crewmember for his imminent death.

'Goddamn those squeaky-voice cult groups,' he thought, 'They jinxed us all.'

He then willingly let go and flew out into space, where he was then struck by a lance blast and painfully vaporised into dust. The Repulsive cruiser was struck again by another wave of lance blasts, followed by a volley of missiles, finally causing it to explode in space, the flames immediately being smothered by the fact there was no oxygen within the void.

_This is the captain of the **Augustus** reporting. Chaos vessel has been eliminated. All ships take position here and prepare for orbital bombardment once the commanders have given the word._

Six Imperial starships were now floating in orbit above Titania, where about a minute ago the space was under the control of a singular Chaos cruiser, now reduced to charred scrap metal. The small fleet consisted of one Mars-class battleship, two smaller Avenger class cruisers and three Firestorm escort ships, which were hardly considered to be the entire Imperial Navy.

And the Imperial Navy wouldn't have noticed those six ships missing from it's massive armada.

----------

Solar had finally removed itself from the skies of Titania, pitching the planet into pitch black darkness, the only lights coming from the abandoned Cornerian military base, now converted into a fully-working Chaos stronghold in short time. Troops armed to the teeth were moving around the base as if preparing for an attack, which they were. Marines mingled with Cultists, machines of war and the mind-warped mutated wildlife as they took positions near the walls. The heaviest concentration of forces were in the centre of the base, in defence regarding the subterranean Cornerian control centre situated within a bunker, now under new management.

The four-man XV15 Tau Stealth Suit team was still browsing over the base from the cliff ridge, zooming on the troops mobilising for the defence. Despite the fact they were getting ready to repel the Tau forces which would approaching soon enough, they were at least glad that O'Shovah and his forces were still alive.

"I count fifty Marines and over a hundred Cultists," one of the XV15's reported, "Plus a considerably large number of armoured units."

"I see them," the Shas'vre team leader acknowledge, him equipped in a heavier XV25 suit, "And we must inform Shas'O Shovah immediately."

"We can't," another XV15 responded, his back turned away from his squadmates as he tried to work his communicator, "Our communications have gone dead. Possibly from all the Warp signatures in the air."

Another XV15 turned to the Shas'vre, "What do we know, Shas'vre?"

The Shas'vre gripped his large fusion gun and responded affirmatively, "We ready ourselves to strike at the enemy, once O'Shovah and his forces have arrived at the scene."

Suddenly the Chaos Sorcerer teleported from behind him, startling the stealth suits. They quickly aimed their fusion guns at Artemis, who drove his staff into the ground and released a powerful energy shockwave. This knocked the guns out of their hands, followed by them off the cliff. They clawed at the air as they hurtled downward screaming.

Only the Shas'vre survived the plunge onto the rocks below, where he laid sprawled within his totalled armour. He moaned as he tried to move his broken body, immediately realising he was now paralysed and his HUD informed him of a total of a hundred broken bones within his body.

'In the name of the Ethereals,' he thought painfully, 'I can not die like this. Not like this.'

Both tragically and ironically a squad of four Chaos Marines immediately attacked him with rusty chainswords. They each painfully hacked him up, the sound of mechanised saws heavy in the air, each one laughing maniacally as they scattered the dead Tau's parts over the rocks. The blood splattered all over the Marines as they satisfied their blood lust for the moment, knowing that in a few minutes they would have to spill even more.

Artemis appeared before them and waved his hand, signalling for them to stop. They did so and stood to attention, their swords dripping with the Shas'vre's blood.

"So they _did_ know we landed on this Death World!" he exclaimed loudly, before he reasoned, "No matter. Though they greatly outnumber us, they will all find their doom approaching."

Suddenly a piece of super hot metal landed behind him, revealed to be a piece of the hull from the Chaos Repulsive which had just been destroyed in orbit courtesy of the Imperial fleet. The realisation that their only way off this world didn't affect his judgement, as he still had that look of confidence on his face.

"Like I said, their doom approaching," he repeated with finality.

----------

Commanders, we have destroyed the Alpha Legion's only ticket off this world and his currently holding position in orbit above the planet. We have locked onto the Chaos base below us and have Lance cannons fully charged and ready to fire on your mark. Request permission to initiate orbital bombardment, full power?

"Negative, Fleet Control" Governor Lord-Militant Alexander responded firmly, "We're going to need to wring some answers out of the Chaos Lord, so we'll have to be a little gentle on the freaks."

"A little gentle?" Falco asked cynically.

Both Jacques and Alexander turned to him, the later glaring at him.

"On second thought," the Lord-Militant sighed, "Charge cannons to full power. We may need em' in case things get out of hand."

Affirmative, Governor, lance cannons are on stand by. Over and out. 

The communication line was switched off, once again allowing an unsettling silence to settle in amongst the heroes sitting at the table, apart from the sounds of the computer consoles being worked upon by the Imperial technicians.

Jacques broke the silence, "I will assume the renegade Commander Farsight can hear me through your com, Jakob?"

_I can, Force Commander Mortensen, _O'Shovah's voice transmitted through Jakob's com, causing Jakob to cringe gently at feeling his own commander tap into his communicator.

"Our orbital sensors had detected Chaos forces have occupied an abandoned Cornerian base. Though may have collected dust over the centuries, it is still formidable when it comes to defence," Alexander explained as he sat up from his seat and begun pacing the floor.

All eyes were focussed on him as he explained the battle plan, Falco and Katt with mild amusement, Krystal with her undivided attention and Jacques with his stoic, expressionless face…which could have been seen if not for his helmet. The room darkened as a holographic image of what appeared to be the walled abandoned Cornerian base projected from the centre of the table, which detailed visually what Alexander said.

"We are going to initiate a light bombardment on the fortress walls, destroying their defences and forcing the remainder of their troops out into the open," Alexander explained, "We will send the Guardsmen forwards while Shovah's troops can provide cover from behind, preferably from the ridges."

_Whilst we are more suited for close-range combat, Governor, _O'Shovah reminded them, _We shall deliver death to the fallen humans from afar and cover your advance._

Alexander smiled, "Glad to see your enthusiasm, Commander. Once the main threats have been dispatched we shall move into the base and secure the Chaos Lord, where Jacques with his…"

He glanced over at the Grey Knight.

"…gifts, can persuade the Lord to fork over vital information on the Chaos war effort."

"What do you think we will be up against?" Krystal asked, turning to Jacques.

"I would say fifty Chaos Marines and twice that number of Cult members," Jacques explained, "We counted the fifty Traitors Marines we fought and we must assume that there are the remaining fifty highest servants of Chaos we must deal with. We can not rule out additional vehicular support and…"

He shook his armoured head gently.

"…the mutant creatures the Chaos Sorcerer must have under his control. Do you recall that time when you told me that Slippy crashed on Titania and was taken hostage by that…that…creature?"

Falco nodded, "Vividly."

"Yes, those creatures," Jacques said further, "The same ones we had just blown into oblivion. We must tread with caution, lest we become overrun by possibly their overwhelming numbers."

_Why you Cornerians put this planet to the torch eons ago, I will never know, _O'Shovah made his sadness known.

Alexander frowned with determination, "Alright, enough talk! Let's get this over with. The next time Solar rises, it will shine down upon the heretics' charred corpses."

Everyone nodded and acknowledged, Jacques stood from his seat where he and Alexander both sounded off alongside the Imperial technicians in the room, who raised their fists into the air with zealotry…

"FOR THE EMPEROR!"

Jakob smiled and stood up as well, beating his chest with pride. He shouted out loud alongside O'Shovah and the other Tau outside…

"FOR THE GREATER GOOD!"

Krystal, Katt and Falco's eye widened at hearing and seeing them demonstrate their religious withholding with much admired and often zealous pride. Krystal couldn't help but smile softly and cross her arms.

'Nothing beats fighting for what you believe in,' Krystal thought, 'The Emperor…he sounds like he really is real and watching over these people. The Greater Good…'

She crossed her eyebrows questioningly.

'…I will have to see what that is about. It sounds like something that is worth dying for.'

----------

A Chaos Champion pushed his way into the control room of the bunker, knocking over a Traitor Marine and rushing up to the Chaos Lord. His back was turned as he silently watched the multiple computer monitors situated on the wall, each one showing CCTV images of his remaining Chaos forces at work.

He thought about how he sent half of his Marines to their deaths, their orders having been to secure the Cerinian and to terminate Star Fox as a threat to the Crusade; only to be dispatched by both the Tau Empire and the Imperial Guard. Not even the mutants that were under their control could match up the Imperial Guard's firepower, them having enlisted the services of the famous Archon of Eden, a being of untold Psyker energy, swordsmanship, and valour to go with it.

"My Lord," the Champion cried, "The _Bloodied Fist _has just been blown out of orbit!"

Ezekiel bit his lip, as for the first time since the end of the **_Horus Heresy_** those thousands of years ago he felt overwhelming fear. But as like any other Space Marine, whether Loyalist or Traitor, he quickly suppressed it and turned to face the Champion angrily. He then gripped his scythe and before the Champion could react or even cry out in surprise his left arm was hacked off, it flying out the still opened door into the control room.

"Ow!" the Champion let out, as if what he just felt was a dull ache, his centuries in service of Chaos having dulled his sense of pain.

He got up and stepped back into the control room, and without another word he grabbed his arm and stepped out of sight, heading towards the Infirmary. He left the Chaos Lord standing in the control room with the knowledge that their cruiser and escape off the planet was gone, leaving them here with the enemy – a combined, unlikely force of Tau and Imperial Guardsman.

'I will not be brought down by that unofficial Heretic,' Ezekiel thought bitterly, 'Especially with the Dark Gods as my witnesses.'

----------

A line of Traitor Marines, Cultists, Defiler war machines and mutated Dreadnought walkers readied themselves against the overwhelming numbers of the Imperials and Tau, which were approaching in the distance in their hundreds, their tanks and other assorted vehicles raising sand into the air. The Sorcerer Artemis was there at the defence of the base, his helmet off to reveal his mohawked head. He gripped his staff in his hands, the Eye within in shimmering violently.

He was smiling rather crudely, which begun to creep out the Cultists present. One of them dared to ask him, "What chance do we have against hundreds of those bastards?"

Artemis turned his head towards the Cultist and replied, albeit disturbingly warmly, "You will see, loyal disciple of the Gods. You will see?"

Meanwhile from the porthole of his Lemus Russ, the Imperial officer peered at the abandoned Cornerian base, which was a hundred yards away, from behind his binoculars, smiling eagerly as he saw the Chaos forces move to the base entrance in preparation for their advance

He had a right to be smiling, seeing the pitiful amount of resistance right before his tank, all the other tanks and Sentinel walkers, and hundred heavily armed Imperial Guardsmen and Tau Fire Warriors right beside and behind him.

'This won't take long,' the officer thought, before speaking into his communicator, "Commanders. We're in position and ready to strike. Chaos forces are ready for us just outside the entrance into the base."

_Roger that, lieutenant. Guess we won't be needing that orbital fire after all, _Alexander replied, his MCV stationed just behind the troops, _We're coming up to the front. O'Shovah, is our cover in position?_

_Affirmative, gue'la, _the Commander Farsight's voice was heard, _Fifty Warriors are stationed on the cliff behind us. They will cover our advance from behind the scopes of their rail rifles._

_I hear you, Commander, _Alexander spoke, _All forces, advance. Let's get into it…_

The Imperial/Tau war machine moved forward across the sandy plains towards the base, the vehicles up front while the troops moved behind. O'Shovah was up forward with his Enclaves while Alexander, Jacques, Falco, Jakob, Katt and Krystal exited the MCV and made their way forward as well, weapons drawn…except Jakob.

"Hey, why'd you leave your big-ass rifle on the table back there, Jakob?" Falco asked, handling his own pulse carbine.

Jakob looked over at him, "Not the best weapon for the close-combat, Lombardi."

He then smiled and reached for what appeared to be gun holsters situated on his legs. He then pulled out what appeared to be a pair of 'Uzi'-type submachine guns with clips already inserted. He pulled back the hammers, the plasma ammo clicking into place.

"Plasma pistols," Jakob introduced his two-new companions, "Modified for additional clip size and power."

"They appear to of a past, decadent design," Jacques remarked, looking over his shoulder at him, "Shas'la Jakob."

"No need for the history lesson, Space Marine," Jakob retorted softly.

"Please, just call me Jacques," the Grey Knight said, sounding annoyed.

Jakob narrowed his eyes, "I prefer referring to you as what you are, out of respect for what you stand for."

Krystal looked over at Jakob and Jacques sadly, seeing the hostility brewing between them. She thought that they would be getting along famously, the both of them almost a carbon copy of one another. Jakob however must be thinking otherwise, evident by not facing Jacques directly and making sure that everything he said to him was to make sure he would never want to speak to him again.

The calm before the storm was finally shattered when a Defiler's artillery shell landed in the middle of the advancing Tau/Imperial force, sending guardsmen and Fire Warriors flying everywhere. Alexander gripped his chainsword, the blade beginning to motion violently.

"LIBERATORS! ATTACK!" he cried.

"FARSIGHT ENCLAVES, ADVANCE!"

The Imperial Guard and the Tau Farsight Enclaves charged forward, alongside the Heroes, each one frowning determinedly, their weapons ready. The Hammerhead Hover Tanks and Lemun Russ' begun firing their mighty cannons at the line, their deadly projectiles hurtling over the sands and hitting the base, sending Marines and Cultists flying.

"DAMNATION!" one Marine cried, "WE'RE GOING TO GET TORN APART OUT HERE! THIS IS MADNESS, SORCERER!"

Artemis frowned and raised his staff, before driving it into the sand and releasing a massive shockwave, which spread across the sands and towards the attacking force. One shrill mutated cry later hundreds of mutated animals of various shapes, sizes, and more accurately, species emerged from the sands. They all let out another cry, before turning towards the incoming Imperial/Tau force, which all stopped in their tracks.

The officer from his tank felt his mouth gape as he lowered his binoculars, before gulping gently. The Heroes were all intensely surprised of seeing thousands more of those mutant creatures emerge from underneath the sands. Falco rubbed the back of his head nervously.

The avian chuckled, "Well, we were expecting this. Nothing we can't handle…ah, crap…"

He suddenly turned to Alexander.

"Got that Orbital Strike ready? That would be really helpful right now!"

Without bothering to answer, Alexander raised his sword into the air and let out a battle cry…

"COMPARED TO CHAOS, THESE ABOMINATIONS ARE NOTHING! CHARGE!"

…and the Imperial Guard all responded by opening up with their laser weaponry, pummelling the advancing horde with red-coloured beamed death. The Tau followed suit as they fired their plasma weaponry, forming a line alongside the Guardsmen as they slowly marched forward. The tanks directed their fire towards the approaching mutants, their crews determined to wipe them all out before they could yet at least ten yards before them. The Tau up on the cliffs let off their rail fire, quickly picking their target and dispatching them, rendering them into bloodied pieces and gibs.

Jacques fired off his bolter at the approaching hordes, his rounds sailing towards them and cutting into the nearest one. He frowned about the fact that in about half-a-minute they will be locked into melee combat. The Guardsmen with their bayonets wouldn't stand a chance against this mutated horde with their various claws, stingers and their sharp, ravenous teeth.

"I don't think we're slowing them!" Katt exclaimed, seeing that the horde was now fifteen yards away.

O'Shovah knew this for a fact, where he suddenly engaged his blade, holding it with both his mechanical hands. He turned around to face the Enclaves positioned behind him. Each of them nodded, before drawing their own blades and pushing past the Guardsman up to the front, halting their laser fire.

"FARSIGHT ENCLAVES!" O'Shovah exclaimed, "FOR THE GREATER GOOD!"

The Farsight Enclaves charged forward, with O'Shovah leading the charge as he sped towards the mutants. He then stretched his arms to the side as he bowled dozens through his charge, sending them all flying. Swinging his blade he sliced through a dozen more, before his men caught up and begun hacking away at the mutated horde. One Enclave drove his blade through the abdomen of a lizard-like creature and tore it in half, before he was knocked down by a ant like creature, it in turn was then tackled by another Enclave and had it's head knocked off.

The Imperial Guard all watched, immediately not wanting for the Tau to take all the glory. They charged as well, bayonets drawn. Jacques, Krystal, Alexander and Jakob charged forward, the Gue'vesa Shas'la firing off his submachine guns and filling the nearest mutant with plasma fire. He then jumped and lifted himself up into the air, before bringing both his feet down on the mutant's head and crushing it.

Falco and Katt watched with shock as they saw the others join the battle, along with the Imperial Guardsmen. This left them standing near the tanks at the back of the lines, feeling incredibly awkward.

"Oi!" the tank commander from his Lemus Russ cried out to them from his porthole, "Aren't you gonna join the fray, cowardly furries?"

Falco glared and shouted back, "With what, exactly?"

"The butts of your rifles, that's what?" the officer replied, before drawing a laspistol and aiming at them, "Governor Alexander orders that anyone not performing his duty will be shot on sight!"

Falco and Katt's eye widened as they threw up their arms, "Hey hey hey! Take it easy!"

Suddenly a pterodactyl-esque mutant landed before them and roared at them, rustling their feathers and fur. They both glanced at one another, before they lunged forward with their rifles and clubbed the mutant across the head and downed it. They then beat it to death, yellow blood splattering upwards into the air.

The tank commander smiled and holstered his pistol.

"Now that wasn't so bad no was it?" the commander asked, "Anything can be used to get personal with the enemy."

Falco looked up from the corpse of the mutant and replied sarcastically, "Yeah, thanks for that!"

They then heard a light whistling sound in the air, which grew louder with each passing millisecond…

"OH, FUCK!"

…before explosion Guardsmen and Tau flying everywhere. The tank commander saw that artillery was being fired from behind the walls of the fortress, courtesy of the Defilers. He disappeared back into his tank buttoned down the hatch, just as a shell landed next to his tank and almost sent it rolling over sideways.

Just as Jacques hacked down a mutant, he called out as he dodged a flying Guardsman who landed behind him, "Lord-Militant! They are shelling us from within the fortress!"

Alexander nodded and pulled his chainsword out from the jaw of a large mutant, before yelling into his communicator, "Fleet Fire Control, this is Governor Lukas Alexander. Initiate orbital bombardment of the base immediately!"

_Affirmative. Firing lance cannons, full power!_

----------

Hideous maniacal laugher echoed all around as six Defilers fired their artillery into the air from behind the main base gates, mentally coordinating their shells to land on the battlefield in order to take out the group Tau/Imperial force. This had been the plane all along when it came to sending the mutants into battle ahead of their weak numbers. Artemis smiled as he saw the Defiler at work, still feeling all the more confidant of their victory.

He then suddenly felt heat come from above himself, prompting him to exhale gently and tap the end of his staff twice on the ground, producing an energy shield around himself. And it was only himself as blasts of powerful energy descended from the sky onto the base, bombarding the walls and the insides of the base.

"DAMNATION!" a Chaos Marine shouted, before he screamed as he was struck from above and incinerated.

The skies fell on the enemy base as the fleet opened up with their lance cannons and beginning bombarding the area from orbit. The Defilers exploded as the orbital blasts hit them, scattering pieces of daemonic metal everywhere. Panic swept in over the hundreds of Cultists as they ran about trying to find cover, while the Traitor Marines calmly dove into the base's structures, as did the remaining ground weapons and vehicles. Artemis kept his shield up as the bombardment continued, where Cultists were blasted all around him.

One lance blasts hit the base gates and blew them wide open. The Forces of Order saw this and immediately rallied themselves. They fought harder against the mutant creatures, tearing through them with lasguns and pulse rifles blazing.

One bald-headed Guardsman sergeant raised his saber into the air with a smile, "THAT'S IT, MEN! TEAR THROUGH THOSE SHAMBLING BASTARDS! FORWARD!"

Jacques swung his sword and hacked through another mutant, before raising his sword into the air, and turning towards O'Shovah, "The path is clear now."

"So I see!" O'Shovah exclaimed, "All forces, advance!"

"ADVANCE!" Alexander relayed to his men, "BRING THESE BASTARDS TO THEIR KNEES!"

The last of the mutants was sent spiralling into oblivion, clearing the path and allowing the Tau/Imperial forces to smash forward through the gates. They mowed down the Cultists who stood in their paths and made short work of the enemy vehicles as they advanced towards them from the empty structures. A Chaos Dreadnought charged forward and knocked several Guardsmen out of the way as it swung it's mutated left arm and knocked the barrel of the nearest Leman Russ. It then felt several Sentinel beam cannons strike it from all directions and bring it down.

"Alright, we're in business!" Alexander cried, before turning to Krystal, "Cerinian? Sense anything?"

Krystal closed his eyes and focused deeply, before opening her eyes and saying, "I sense the Chaos Lord is underground, possibly in a bunker. It's located in the centre of the base."

"That is true!" Jacques exclaimed, "I sense him too!"

"Then let's go grab him!" Alexander cried, "O'Shovah?"

"We will handle things our way, Governor!" O'Shovah exclaimed back, "Take care of your own men."

"Will do!"

They all fired their range weapons as they advanced forwards, taking down more Cultists as they advanced. Jacques, Jakob, Alexander, Falco, Krystal and Katt advanced, confident that they can quickly put an end to this fight, and to destroy anything that dared get in their paths.

----------

The abandoned Cornerian base was now the sight of a massive, desperate battle as the allied Tau/Imperial force struck at the entrenched Alpha Legion forces. The Forces of Order slowly advanced forwards with their troops up front and in sqauds, with their vehicles at the back. This formed an impenetrable line The Traitor Marines all retreated towards the centre as the meat-shield Cultist covered them, each of them systemically cut down through either the sword, lasgun or pulse rifle.

Falco, Katt, Jakob and three accompanying Fire Warriors were nearing the centre of the base. They dove behind the cover of a shelled structure as a barrage of bolter fire flew towards them courtesy of two Heavy Boltgun equipped Marines, clipping the side of a Fire Warrior's helmet. Surrounded by two Lylatians and three Farsight Enclaves, as well as hundreds of blood-thirty Cult groups and a dozen Traitor Marines, Jakob struggled internally to focus his mind. He inhaled and exhaled gently, where as he got his bearing back he grabbed one of his plasma grenades and hurled it towards the pair of Chaos Marines.

The resulting explosion stunned the two Marines, allowing Jakob and his squad to move forward, guns blazing. Falco discharged his carbine at close range into one of the Marine's face and blowing the head apart, just as Jakob pulled out a charger and slapped it on the other Marine's chest. The squad dove out of the way as the photon charge detonated and exploded the Traitor.

Falco frowned just as he felt the blood spray on him from behind, "Nice work, Shas'la."

Jakob shook his head as he picked himself up from the ground and recovered his guns, "Thank me later. Keep going!"

Jakob and Krystal fought side by side against a group of four blade-wielding Marines, one of which was a Chosen Terminator, a tainted heavily armoured warrior that used to be of service to the Imperium of Man nearly ten-thousand years ago, now twisted by the power of Chaos. The Terminator raised his heavy bolter at the pair, causing Krystal to jumped forward and swing her staff, rendering the gun in half.

She growled, "Not today!"

Her staff charged with power as she swung again, striking the Terminator in the side of the head and causing a reaction which shattered the helmet and exposing the grey, worn out face of the Terminator. He cried out in shock as Krystal raised her staff up to his face and fired a bolt of flame, killing him instantly.

Jacques took on the three other Marines at once, parrying and defending against their strikes before initiating his own attack, cutting through the armour, slicing a Traitor across the chest, before firing his bolter at the cracked chest plating and into his body, downing him. He then stretched his palm forward and bombarded the remaining two Marines with psychic energy, sending them flying backwards.

_Just like old time, Jacques? _Krystal thought gleefully to him, as they went back to back as more Cultists arrived for the attack.

Krystal looked ahead and saw Jakob, Falco and Katt moving forward and towards the centre of the base. She immediately became alarmed…

"Jacques!" she exclaimed, "The others are in trouble!"

"Affirmative," Jacques shouted, "We should cover them!"

----------

"We're near the centre," Jakob cried as he and his team continued running, "We'll be able to finish this once we take out the Chaos Lord?"

Katt's eyes widened as the laser fire flew above their heads, both from behind and from up front, "Just the six of us?"

"We can't afford to let him even try to get away!" Jakob exclaimed, "Now…"

Suddenly one of the Fire Warriors screamed in agony as he felt bolts of Chaos energy strike him and turn him into ash. Katt, Falco and Jakob turned to see Artemis stepping towards them, bedlam staff stretched forward.

"Ah, crap!" Falco groaned, "Here comes trouble!"

Jakob rolled his eyes, "You guys go ahead. I'll take care of him!"

Falco and Katt took one look at the Sorcerer as they turned and ran onwards, accompanied by the two remaining Fire Warriors. Jakob faced the mohawk-haired Sorcerer and tried to stare past the cruel, almost maddening smile he wore on his face. He countered with a determined frowned which still could be seen despite the blood on his face. He gripped his plasma submachine guns firmly in his hands and stepped back some as Artemis moved forward, staff in hand.

"Shas'la Calth Jakob Sho'ka Guela. To think that in all my thousands of years of existence I would never actually see a human licking the boots of the misguided Tau race," Artemis indicated, almost sadly, "You do realise what you have gotten yourself into, boy?"

Jakob smirked, "I owe them for what did for me, and I'm more than happy to repay them by killing those who dare impede the Greater Good."

"Well, let's see how well the 'Greater Good' have taught you to fight!" Artemis roared, "And pray it's better than what the Imperium, or even Chaos, could have taught youuuuu…HAH…"

He raised his palm forward and unleashed a barrage of fireballs, which Jakob was quick to avoid. He opened up with his machine-guns where the Sorcerer then opened up a psychic shield and they dissipated immediately after coming in contact with the shield. Jakob ran forward, jumped and delivered a roundhouse kick, which broke through the Sorcerer's shield and knocked him down. In process Jakob was sent flying some distance away and landed roughly on the ground.

"Ow!" he groaned.

Immediately a Traitor Marine came at him with a boltgun. Jakob hopped back onto his feet and dodged the bolter blasts, before firing his guns at the Marine and filling him with plasma fire, which pierced through his armour and out the other end. As the Marine toppled backwards dying, Jakob ran forward and grabbed his sword.

"I need this more than you," Jakob quickly said as he passed by the Marine and headed back towards the Sorcerer.

As Artemis propped himself back up with his staff he saw Jakob come at him with a rusty sword. He frowned and gripped his staff and used it to block Jakob's melee strike, where they parried. He then countered by swinging his staff against his feet, Jakob jumped to avoid the attack and delivered another kick, this time hitting the mark, which was the Sorcerer's head, and breaking his nose.

Jakob stepped back and to his surprise he saw that the Sorcerer was smiling, blood spurting from his shattered nose.

Artemis chuckled, "I do not suppose the Gue'vesa taught you that?"

"No," Jakob shook his head, "Personally taught that by Shas'O Shovah himself, the Master of Close Combat."

"Well, it's good to see that at least one of those ranged-cowards is willing to die up close in a honourable FASHION…"

Artemis roared and swung his staff, releasing a powerful cutting projectile that hurtled towards Jakob. His eyes widened and he fell backward onto the ground and just missing him, which instead continued on towards….

"KRYSTAL!" Jakob shouted, "LOOK OUT!"

Krystal heard Jakob's warning just as she dispatched another Marine, turning to see that saw-like energy projectile heading towards her. She gasped in shock and raised his staff to project her own shield, causing the projectile to rebound off her and hurtle back towards Jakob, in the process cutting through a Bezerker. Jakob spun around in time to see it as he got back up, causing him to simply sidestep and it returned to the Sorcerer, who stretched his hand forward and caught it, where it hovered inches away from him.

The Sorcerer frowned and drove his staff into the ground, releasing Warp-driven energy, which spawned a group of four Tzeentch Horrors. Each one growled at Jakob and charged him, driving him away from the Sorcerer as he begun to hop away backwards from him, submachine guns blazing away at them. Jacques and Krystal ran towards him, before a Bezerker jumped in front of her and swung his chainaxe.

She shouted as she avoided the attack, "JAKOB!"

Jakob turned towards her, fingers still tightened on the triggers of his submachine guns as he continue to blaze away at the Horrors attacking him. Krystal and Jacques would have continued forward to support Jakob were it not for the Cultists that dove from behind the corner of a control tower and rushed them. Before Jacques and Krystal engaged them, _she_ threw her staff towards Jakob…

"CATCH!"

…which Jakob dropped his machine-guns to catch. Instantly it projected a shield around him that absorbed the fireballs the Horrors hurled at him. Once the shield dropped Jakob struck forward, rushing towards he nearest Horror and driving the staff through it's face and out the other end, immediately killing it and sending it's corpse back to the Warp. With the deadly end of the staff he deflected more fireballs flung at him by another Horror, which was sent back to it, slaying it also.

Jakob's eyes widened with both shock and surprise when he realised that he had just wielded the staff with masterful precision. Though his Tau peers considered him a master of the Martial Arts, he didn't think he could wield such a weapon with relative. Somehow he could feel that the staff was alive and rather than being used as a weapon by him, it was fighting alongside him. And it had proved this when it had automatically shielded him from the daemons.

He smirked and faced the Sorcerer and the remaining two Horrors. He thought, 'Cerinian craftsmanship at it's finest.'

The two Horrors were joined by a team of four Cultists, which feeling confident the both of them charged forward against the Gue'vesa. The Cultists however had other cowardly ideas and stood their ground. They watched alongside the Sorcerer Artemis as Jakob fought the daemons. A Horror lunged at him, which he swatted away like a fly with the staff, before driving the point through it's chest and banishing it back to the Warp.

He then cried out in pain as he felt a fireball strike him from behind courtesy of the other Horror, who then knocked him down with a headbutt, but failed to knock the staff out of his hands. With a cry of anger as he actually put his fist through the Horror's near-rubbery chest and tearing out what appeared to be it's heart. It bellowed it pain, before Jakob brought the staff to it's head. It automatically let loose it's ice-blaster and quickly froze the daemon, encasing it completely in ice.

Jakob got back up and performed a jump kick, which shattered the iced Horror into millions of tiny fragments. Each one then immediately turned crimson and phased away in a small fire. He turned to face the mad-looking Sorcerer and the terrified Cultists, each one wanting to turn around to run away into the desert.

"Any more tricks, Sorcerer?" Jakob growled.

The Sorcerer suddenly smiled and raised his staff. Jakob gasped as he felt what appeared to be thorns appear out of the ground and envelop his legs, effectively chaining him to the spot. The Cultists immediately felt their cowardice leave them as they drew their blades and with a laugh they surrounded him.

Jacques saw Jakob predicament from the wall as he fought hand-to-hand against a Bezerker. He frowned and simply kicked him off the wall and he landed painfully on the ground below. Jacques then jumped off the wall and landed on top of the Bezerker' chest, effectively crushing him. Unfazed by the jump down Jacques ran towards Jakob just as the Cultists lunged at Jakob. He opened his mouth…

"RAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!"

…and let out a loud battle-cry which grabbed almost everyone's attention, shocking them all slightly. A downed and wounded Fire Warrior, who had noticed that a Marine had turned away from delivering the final blow with his sword to see Jacques running across the battlefield with his grey armour shining, quickly grabbed his pulse rifle and aimed it at the Marine. He then pulled the trigger and killed the distracted Marine.

The Cultist panicked when they saw the Grey Knight charge them, sword drawn and Psyker energy spewing forth from him. Jakob unwillingly watched as the Cultists forgot about him in order to raise their laspistols at the Knight. Jacques fired his bolter and filled them all with rocket-propelled death, actually and individually blowing their limbs off of them, the blood splattering onto Jakob; some of which landed on his lips.

As Jacques drove his sword into the last-standing Cultist (who had been standing on only one leg), he turned to Jakob and said, "Apologies for this gruesome spectacle, Shas'la."

Jakob smiled painfully, "Accepted."

"Where is Lombardi and Monroe?" Jacques asked, "They were with you!"

"Lombardi and Monroe went on," Jakob replied, then exclaimed, "Now, the Sorcerer!"

Jacques turned to face Artemis, who still had Jakob trapped within the Chains of Torment. He raised his bedlam staff and fired off a large crimson energy shot. Jacques stretched his hand forward and caught the ball within his psychic grip, where he then mentally phased the ball out of existence and .

Artemis smirked at seeing him at his best, "So, _you_ must be the famous Jacques Mortensen, formally of the Ultramarines 2nd Company, the Protector of the Xenos? The only survivor of the Cerinian Conflict."

"You have heard of me, Sorcerer?" Jacques asked menacingly.

"I doubt there is a singular servant of Chaos living within the Immaterium who has not heard of the only Marine to stand before the Despoiler and manage to escape with his soul intact. Though now…"

Jacques saw that the Eye embedded in his staff glowed a sickening green.

"…this may no longer be the case. As I will strike you down right now and offer your skull packed in a gold chest to the Despoiler himself."

"Don't write checks your mouth can't cash, Chaos freak!" Jakob exclaimed, struggling against the bounds attached to his legs, "Because we…don't…ACCEPT THEM HERE!"

Crying out in might Jakob suddenly freed himself from the Warp-driven shackle. He then charged Artemis and struck him with full force against the side of his head, sending him falling to the ground and releasing his bedlam staff. As Jakob struck again where he brought the staff down on the Sorcerer, he fired several fireballs at the Gue'vesa, striking him into the chest and sending him falling back. Jacques then struck and severed Artemis' hand.

The Sorcerer cried out in pain, before feeling the point of the staff get driven into his chest by Jakob, who had appeared to be unfazed by the close-range fireball-attack, and whom looked very disturbed and angry. Jacques immediately guessed that he wanted to be the one to kill the Sorcerer known as Artemis, so he stepped back and allowed Jakob to strike the killing blow.

Jakob smirked over and at him and pulled Krystal's staff out of the Sorcerer's chest. He then brought it down again and forced it deeper into Artemis' chest, the blood erupting from the wound and especially out of his mouth. Both good humans adverted face to avoid the precious red liquid, which the experience was finally starting make Jakob nauseous, where he closed his eyes tightly.

Jacques noticed this and immediately said, "You can open your eyes now, Human Fire Warrior."

He did so, and they looked down at the mohawked Sorcerer to see his twisted face of pain and agony. Blood was still seeping down from his mouth and his eyes were bulged in place as he still struggled to breathe. Sickened by the fact he had lost so much blood yet was still alive, Jacques stepped forward aimed his bolter down at his head and pulled the trigger, blowing his head off. Just to make double sure he raised his sword, charged it with pure psychic power and then struck the corpse, slicing it across the chest and splitting it open. In the process he released a multitude of Chaotic energy, which fazed out when it came into contact with Jacques' pure, righteous power.

Jakob looked curiously over at Jacques and crossed his arms, "I think he's dead now, Jacques."

"You are right," Jacques responded.

He then spun around and fired his bolter at an incoming group of Cultists, mowing them down instantly. Jakob sheathed the staff on his back and rolled forward to retrieve his sub-machineguns. Once accomplished he quickly reloaded and avoided the charge of a Bezerker, who was then run through with Jacques' blade. Jakob impulsively fired his guns at the Grey Knight's direction and hit another Cultist who had been about to strike Jacques from behind.

He immediately realised, to his chagrin, that he had just covered Jacques' back.

"Nice shooting, Shas'la," Jacques cried as they then ran and dove towards cover behind a concrete barrier as a barrage of bolter fire passed by them, "We have to pursue and immobilise the Chaos Lord. I doubt Lombardi and Monroe can stop him by themselves."

Jakob gripped his machine-gun and frowned, "I'll get him, Mortensen. You should stick around topside and mop up the remaining Chaos forces and…"

His frown then faded as he took on a soft, yet serious look.

"…Krystal."

Jacques shook his head gently, "I think that objective is best left to you, Shas'la. Only I can deal the Chaos Lord the killing blow and end this fight."

Jakob's eyes widened, realising that he was forsaking his mission to protect Krystal. Or was he still following through with it by going after the leader and putting an end to his reign of terror here on this planet? So many things were confusing Jakob about Jacques that it was starting to take it's effect on his focus and concentration, where he loosened his hold on his guns.

Jacques realised this, "Focus, Shas'la Jakob. Focus."

The Human Fire Warrior nodded and exhaled, before frowning, "All right then, understood. I'll cover you from here."

Jacques nodded, where without even thinking through of what he was going to do he immediately broke cover and begun running towards the entrance into the underground bunker, which was situated yards away. Immediately bolter and laser fire made their way toward Jacques as he ran and fired his bolter, gripping his sword in his other hand with the full intention of wetting it with more Chaotic blood.

Jakob stuck his torso above cover and begun blazing away at the Marines pursuing Jacques, the armour-piercing plasma managing to do them major damage as he drew their attention away from him and they instead begun gunning for Jakob, allowing Jacques to disappear down the pathway towards the bunker. He dove behind cover, when suddenly he felt something strike the ground before his cover.

"FOR THE GREATER GOOD, SHAS'LA JAKOB!"

Jakob smiled and dove from cover, to find O'Shovah standing before the concrete barrier, his plasma cannon fully charged and ready to fire. The incoming Marines opened, only to each be vaporised by O'Shovah's cannon and sent flying backwards with their chest cracked wide open by his blade. One Cultist avoided O'Shovah blade and dove for Jakob, his own bloodied sword glistening in the moonlight.

Jakob glared and kicked the Cultist upside the head and downed him, before aiming his guns down at him and firing, filling him full of holes. O'Shovah then charged forward towards an incoming Predator, and put his blade right through the hull, and using all his strength to lift the tank of the ground and toss it towards a squad of Traitor Marines. One explosion later they were all reduced to burning wreckage, power armour and tank hull alike.

Alexander watched that little spectacle from around the corner, as he and his squad had finally made it into the centre of the base. He smiled, seeing that they now controlled the surface area, leaving only the underground command bunker and the hangar to go. Somehow he knew that Jacques would be able to take down the Chaos Lord single-handedly, but only after Ezekiel had killed Falco and Katt first, them being the first to pursue him.

"Governor," a Kasrkin got his attention, "What do we do now, sir?"

Alexander ordered, "Take the centre and eliminate any Chaos bastard that ever thought the Emperor is just a stuffed corpse on a throne!"

"Yes sir!"

----------

Even though their Tau weaponry was much more advanced than what they were armed with just before, Falco and Katt found themselves pinned down just outside the entryway into the bunker by several determined Traitor Marines, one Chosen Terminator armed with a powerful Melta Gun and several crazed Cultists. The two Fire Warriors that had accompanied them now laid dead near them, their bodies twisted and peppered with bolter slugs. Falco groaned in annoyance as he and Katt took cover behind a metallic support pillar, bolter and laser round flying past them.

"Now do you think we rushed ahead?" Katt cried.

Falco nodded quickly as a bolt chipped the corner near his ear, "We sure did! Goddamn!"

A Marine drew his sword…

"FOR THE DARK GODS!"

…and charged from the entrance. Falco and Katt heard him coming and contemplated stepping out of cover to engage him and instantly be filled with enough unholy ammunition to literally shatter their souls into fragments apart from their bodies, or be hacked down without them even lifting a finger to defend themselves.

The Chaos Marine smiled as be prepared to strike at that who cowered behind the pillar, only to be ran through with a Nemesis Force blade courtesy of a 'furiously charged' Grey Knight. With all his strength Jacques hurled the body towards the other Chaos followers which shattered in half as it struck the Terminator, who were all immediately startled at seeing one Grey Knight manage to get the drop on them. The Terminator roared and fired his Melta Gun; which Jacques swerved his head to avoid the energy blast, before he stretched his hand forward and performed a claw-like motion, releasing psychic energies and squeezing the Terminator's head into a compact shape. This effectively crushed the Terminator's head and left his armoured body standing there with his fellow Marines and Cultists.

Falco and Katt then broke cover and begun blazing away at the enemy, taking cover behind Jacques and his psychic shield, which caused the Chaos Marines and Cultists to fly into a frustrated fury, causing them to elect drawing their blades and engaging the Daemonhunter hand-to-hand. This was immediately proven fatal as Jacques gripped his power-brimming sword and hacked them all down with one slash each, as usual spilling hot blood all over.

One Cultist survived the slashing, only to feel Jacques' strike again and explode his chest outwards with more of his psychic power. This promptly sickened both Falco and Katt, which was evident on their faces, as they appeared flabbergasted as they forced themselves to look over the corpses of the Chaos followers.

"That was pretty pathetic," Falco observed, "They can take on a dozen Cornerians each, but against a singular Imperial Marine…well…you get the picture."

"I do," Jacques responded, rather impatiently, "Why you thought you can confront the Chaos Lord only armed with pulse rifles and mentally unprepared for the horrors he may throw at you and hope to win is beyond me. But now that I am here…"

"You want us to get topside and stay out of your way?" Katt queried, annoyingly.

Jacques shook his head, letting his objections go through movement of his head rather than facial expressions, as he still wore his helmet. He finished, "You can support me if you wish."

Falco's smiled, "Count on it, buddy."

The trio ran through the entrance-way and into the bunker, which the large doors closed shut behind them and the found themselves in a moderately large lobby-like room with electric lights and long gas pipelines situated on the ceiling. The walls were lined with doors and immediately played on Jacques, Katt and Falco's suspicions.

"You can turn back if you want," Jacques reminded them, "I can suffice by myself in this situation."

Falco and Katt shot each other a glance, before Falco replying, "Like I said, buddy."

Jacques smiled behind his helmet and reloaded his bolter. They proceeded to tread softly across the room; the lights flickering above them and the only sounds heard were the fighting topside, their individual hastened heartbeats, breathing and the gas moving through the pipes above them. Suddenly the doors were smashed wide opened and mutants strewn into the room in their dozens

Falco rolled his eyes as the mutants all screamed out with their animalistic instinct and rushed them. He then muttered…

"Typical."

…and proceeded to shove his rifle into the mouth of a charging mutant and blow his head apart at the seam. Katt followed suit as she quickly swerved to avoid a mutated slash and then drive her feet through the mutant's mushy skull through a kick and splatter it all over the floor, and on Jacques' feet. The Grey Knight expressed his annoyance by throwing himself at a large, burlier toad-like mutant and driving both his sword and his free fist into his torso and ripping it's ripcage open. It's screams of agony were silenced as Jacques then delivered the killing blow by rendering it's head in half.

He then stepped back towards Falco and Katt. With their backs together they fired away with their ranged weapons at the mutants which came at them from all sides from the many rooms in the bunker. All the while they thought of how someone in their right mind, or more accurately their sanity, could have stuffed all these shamblings into the command bunker.

'Last defence,' the three of them reasoned mentally as one.

Knowing that this was all too way a last ditch delaying technique for the Chaos Lord, Jacques let out mighty howl and launched a powerful shockwaves, shattering every shambling in the room into little bits whilst preserving Falco and Katt. The end result was a red/yellow-bloodied room strewn with mutant insectoid gibs. Jacques inhaled harshly, where he desperately wanted to rest his almost strained mind…but he sensed that Lord Ezekiel was nearby.

Falco let out a phew and wiped his forehead, "Well, that was a fucked up battle all right…."

"And only I can finish it," Jacques added with divination evident in his voice, "I will go it alone from here."

Falco and Katt looked at him with bewilderment. Katt cried, "You can't be serious. But you said…"

They heard Jacques sigh out loud, "I am sorry I lured you here. But this is no place for you."

Falco quickly nodded, "I hear you. C'mon Katt…"

He grabbed her hand and frowned over at Jacques with slight vehemence, making sure he could both see his face and sense his feelings of inadequacy and irritancy.

"Let the heroic Space Marine bring down the bad-guy single-handedly."

Jacques felt those familiar feelings of annoyance emerge within him, but he suppressed them and proceeded to move through one of the door leading deeper into the bunker, leaving Katt and Falco alone in the room. They then ran towards the main entrance, hopeful that the surface area would be secured.

"Well, there goes playing hero," Katt murmured softly.

"Hero? Ha!" Falco exclaimed in his usual arrogant tone as they ran, "I was thinking more along the lines of finishing this fight and moving on with what could be seen as our lives."

Katt smiled in spite of herself, "I hear that, Beakman."

----------

The last Chaos Space Marine felt several bursts of laser tear through his armour and out of his back courtesy of the Fire Warriors. He fell to his knees and used the remainder of his strengths to try and stand back up, but then felt a Kasrkin's Hell-gun bring him back down, blasting the boltgun out of his hands. He cursed out loud as he kept himself up using his hands.

He then moved them to tear his helmet off, spitting blood as he dropped it on the floor. He noticed he was now surrounded by the entire Tau/Imperial attack force, and that Lord-Militant Alexander and O'Shovah were stepping towards them. His eyes narrowed in anger as he looked upwards at the leader, preparing to face their gloating.

Alexander crossed his arms, "You could have surrendered in one piece, Marine."

"Who said I was surrendering?" the Marine responded bitterly, "Never to the lapdogs of the False Emperor…"

He then looked over at O'Shovah.

"…or to the godless, faithless blueskins."

O'Shovah zoomed in closer on him and saw the crimson fire brewing in his eyes, and the blood puddle spreading from him. He engaged his wet blade and brought it to the Marine's throat.

"Do you still wish to surrender and be granted mercy?" O'Shovah asked.

"You can shove your leniency up your metal backside, Farsight," the Marine said, revealing a toothless grin, "You Ork fucking, C'tan worshipping…."

Unamused, O'Shovah thrust his blade backwards before bringing it forwards towards the Marine and severing his head in half from the top of his neck. The head hit the ground and rolled towards the feet of a Guardsman, immediately startling him as he stood from attention and kicked the head away from in a panic.

As the body fell forward, Alexander turned to O'Shovah and remarked amusingly, "Those were harsh words, Commander."

O'Shovah retracted his blade and explained, "It is not wise to remind me of my exploits against the Green Horde, or my experience with the malevolent Star Gods, Lord-Militant. It gets on my 'worse' side."

"Ha! I see that!"

Krystal was horrified at what she had just seen. Sure, she had seen death before and had caused it on many occasions, including now, but seeing that the subject was amusing to the two military leaders was anything _but_ amusing. She shook her head sadly and looked down at her feet, before remembering that she had seen Jacques disappear by himself into the bunker, in pursuit of Falco and Katt.

By chance they saw the two of them emerge up from the ramp leading underground, both battle-weary and worn. Krystal was the first person on the surface to greet them.

"Falco, Katt," she cried exasperated, "You're alive!"

"Really? I hardly noticed," Falco responded.

She crossed her eyebrows when she noticed the Grey Knight wasn't present, "Where's Jacques?"

"He went on after the Chaos Lord," Katt responded, "He insisted that he'd take him on single-handedly, like some typical knight in shining armour."

Krystal frowned when Katt sounded slightly hostile and cynical, nearly matching Falco's own tongue. If this was the time she would have openly supported Jacques' decision to face the Chaos Lord alone, but since they were in a hostile area and that more traces of Chaos or mutant could appear at any moment, she had to keep prepared.

"LOOK! HIGH ABOVE…THE INFINITY!"

If Krystal had her staff and not her empty boltpistol she would have been be battle ready. She looked up into the sky and was startled to see the Tau Explorer-class starship 'Infinity' hovering above the base; it's multiple cannons scanning the scorched battlefield, finding something that resembled a large human clad in a power armour or a hideous creature from hell to vaporise on the spot. Krystal sighed, relieved to see another friendly sight.

"Krystal!"

She turned to see Jakob running towards her, staff in hand. He stopped before her, catching his breath hoarsely, before looking up at her and her questioned face. He extended his hand holding the staff towards her, and she smiled.

"Your staff," Jakob pointed out.

Krystal smiled appreciatively and accepted it, where it retracted in her hands, "Thank you, Jakob."

The human Fire Warrior smiled at her gratitude and immediately felt the breath return to his lungs. He beat his chest in a salute and responded, "My pleasure, Krystal."

He then looked up to see the Infinity high above, his smile still plastered on his face. He then chuckled slightly and rubbed his chin, looking away towards her.

"What's so funny?" Krystal asked.

"That Aun'shi chooses the right time to dig up the ship and join the battle," Jakob explained, "By the Greater Good that is so…so…"

"Cliched?" O'Shovah answered, stepping to them.

He turned to face him, standing to attention, "Yes, O'Shovah. That's the word, though I actually wasn't thinking that'd be it."

"Mortensen?" O'Shovah said, turning to Falco and Katt, "Has he reported back?"

Falco shook his head, "No, he hasn't. He's gone after the Chaos Lord."

"Single-handedly?" Alexander cried, running up to him with his squad in tow. He then laughed out loud, "Ha! Just like Jacques, always does the dirtiest work for all of us."

Krystal turned towards the ramp leading down into the bunker with much concern, where she clasped her hands together in nervous anticipation, fearing for the life of her guardian, brother and best friend in the entire universe.

"Jacques," she whispered softly, yet sadly, "Please, come back."

----------

Fox found himself to be awake once again, the ship's ascent from beneath the sands having disturbed his pained slumber, the real-life pain once again settling in his chest. He still could not believe that this was happening, that his friends had gone off to battle without him and he was stuck here, useless as the day he was born.

The glimmer of hope which rose up when Jacques contacted him was all but faded. This left him lying there on his infirmary bed completely miserable, with possibly a hole in his chest courtesy of the Great Fox's stellar landing. With them having escaped Corneria with literally their tails between their legs, and leaving the planet to fall to the Ruinous Powers, for them to twist in their own sick image.

He closed his eyes tightly and moaned out loud, as he tried to rise up from his bed once again, and expecting to fall back down with pain. But this time, he concentrated and gritted his teeth, baring his vulpine pearly whites as sweat ran down the sides of his head.

'Please,' he thought to himself, which was more like begging, 'Don't leave me like this. Give me strength, let me heal…just get me out of this goddamned bed and back into the fight!'

He suddenly gasped out loud as the pain struck him in the heart. He fell back down and begun sucking back air, desperately not wanting to die just by trying to get up. He suddenly became alarmed when he felt that the pain was starting to fade away and his breathing was beginning to normalise. His eyes opened fully, not twitching or fatigued with pain, rather they were now alert and ready for action.

Fox steadied his breathed as he looked up at the ceiling and the flickering light above him. He moved his left hand towards his bandaged chest and dared to feel it, expecting to feel the pain again, but felt nothing instead.

"What the…?"

He felt like his strength was returning to him tenfold, where he attempted to get up once again. He moved his hand towards the sides of his bed and lifted himself up, he then felt the impulse to leap out of his bed and place both his feet on the infirmary floor, which he did and almost gasped at his sudden energetic movement.

Fox then slipped on the floor…

"Ah!"

…and fell flat on his back, triggering some kind of alarm. He groaned as he stood back up and dusted himself off. He then moved his hand towards his chest and slowly begun to remove the fabric, and almost fainting in surprise when he found that his area was all but healed. The gaping wound where the refrigerator handle had poked through had closed up entirely, leaving only a scar.

"How…?"

His head jerked up towards the door to see the Tau doctor stepping into the room, almost yelling out in shock in finding the previously incapacitated vulpine was standing in the centre of the room, looking like he was in perfect health. His mouth was agape as he tried to make his tongue work. Failing that, he simply crossed his arms.

"What do you think you are doing out of bed?" the doctor asked sternly, narrowing his eyes.

Fox smiled, wrapped his chest back up and responded whilst rubbing the back of his head, "Heh, guess I'm a quick healer."

His smiled faded, as he suddenly became serious again.

"At least, I think so."

----------

Without encountering any sort of resistance Jacques stepped through the corridors of the bunker, mentally tracing the path back to the entrance as he believed to be now in some kind of labyrinth, which was typical of Chaos to try and deceive those who stand against it. He found his surrounding were starting to become less welcoming as the walls were beginning to twist and contort as a daemonic-sort of fungi was growing on the wall, blood leaking down from it and onto the ground.

Jacques was unfazed by this shock imagery, continuing to proceed forward through the bunker; his sword brimming with power and his bolter loaded with high-calibre death. He came across a door, which had the worse of the daemonic influence upon it. It looked more like flesh and bone rather than steel, and the Grey Knight trusted his hunch that the Chaos Lord was close.

He drove his sword through the sword, blood spurting forth onto his armour. He then pulled back and with a cry of might he rammed against the door and with the sharp cracking of bone it came apart, the pieces splattering onto the floor.

Jacques saw what appeared to be the control room, with several computer monitor screens set up all over the walls and even the gas pipe covered ceiling. He saw Lord Ezekiel with his back turned, watching the large screen, which like all the others were showing footage of the battle that had just occurred on the surface. Ezekiel had a sullen look of sadness upon his face as he watched his own troops die, even the expendable Cultists. His apparent pity eroded and was replaced with a frown as he turned around to face the Grey Knight.

"You are cornered, Lord Ezekiel of the Alpha Legion!" Jacques shouted out loud with finality, before he announced, "But I wish not to fight you."

"Why is that, young Mortensen?" Ezekiel responded, "The Archon of Eden?"

"Because I have questions that need be answered, and you are the obvious one to ask here," Jacques explained.

Ezekiel smiled dryly, "Heh! And if I refuse?"

Jacques narrowed his eyes, "Then you will taste my blade, heretic."

Hearing the word traitor made him laugh out loud, making him hold his hips and not swallow his tongue with hilarity, "Heretic? You should really speak for yourself."

Ezekiel then shot an evil glance at the Grey Knight, whose eyes widened slightly with confusion, and he lowered his blade slightly upon hearing him out. The Chaos Lord continued to smile as he stepped forward, prompting Jacques to take one step backwards, then raise his sword again.

"Tell me this, Grey Knight," Ezekiel asked, "What makes you resent your own Imperium so much?"

"The Imperium threatens all I have come to treasure, tainted one," Jacques responded, "They do not understand what is at stake here. As long they have their pride, they can never understand."

"What about your Emperor?" Ezekiel queried, "The _False_ Emperor if I may add."

Jacques glared, "You may not! He guided me from the fires of my doomed home. He gave me a purpose to continue to live in this forsaken universe, and be drenched in the blood so many members of life spill…over hate, greed, bigotry and ignorance."

"What is that reason?"

"To remind the universe that, even though the Imperium he had gave his life for to forge has spiralled into madness, we of the human race are still _humane_. That we fight to cleanse this universe of all the things that drives us to imperfection."

Ezekiel looked at him closely for a minute, studying his word carefully and surprisingly giving them some thought. He shook his head in pity, "Oh, you misguided soul. Strong words for someone who can not accept that the universe does not revolve around his quest for moral redemption."

"This is not about me, Chaos Lord!" Jacques exclaimed, "It is about stopping you and the Forces of Chaos from destroying the stars, in the name of your manipulative Dark Gods. The time for talk is over…"

He gripped his sword.

"…either you will explain what the Despoiler seeks in this system other than a back way into the Imperium, or will you face my wrath here and now."

Ezekiel frowned, "Face your wrath? Like all the other honoured servants of the Dark Gods you slew? From each of the monitors in this room and I have seen only you deliver each and every one of them a humiliating death by your exiled hands. They deserved a better way to check out."

"I am sure at one time, before they turned against the Emperor, they were honourable and could have sought a lighter way to perish," Jacques explained, growing impatient, "Now…"

Ezekiel gripped his reaper scythe and his plasma pistols in his hands, "Why don't your look into my mind and find out for yourself?"

"Allow me to."

"Never."

"Than you must fall."

"I don't think so…"

He raised his plasma pistol up at the pipes sprawled all over the ceiling.

"…at least not by your hands anyway, Mortensen. Fare thee well."

Jacques eyes grew large with shock as Ezekiel grin widened. He pulled the trigger and the blast hit the pipe, igniting the gas in the room causing a massive explosion, which blew Jacques back through the door and out into the hallway. The flames consumed the Chaos Lord Ezekiel, before the ceiling and tons of asphalt and rock from above buried the room.

The Grey Knight groaned in pain, having experienced the fact that Ezekiel didn't want to die by his hands, seeing how he could not face someone of his…stature. He got up slowly, hands up on the walls to support himself. Knowing that the bunker was about to go up in smoke he sheathed his sword and begun running back towards the entrance, the fire beginning to lick at him from behind as the gas and heating lines running through the bunker begun to become exposed.

'This is no way to start a war,' he thought, 'Through a suicide.'

----------

An explosion tore up from beneath the ground and reached the surface, startling the Tau and Imperial Guard forces present near the bunker. Krystal, Jakob, Falco, Katt, O'Shovah and Alexander turned their heads towards the bunker, the Tau Commander immediately detecting that it was about to go up in smoke.

"I am detecting heat anomalies from within the bunker," O'Shovah announced, "It is going to explode."

"Say WHAT?" Falco cried.

Alexander frowned, "That tears it. ATTENTION ALL FORCES…"

He exclaimed into his communicator.

"Clear the centre of the base!" he begun, before continuing with cynicism, "We're gonna have an unscheduled demolition courtesy of Mortensen in approximately twenty seconds! MOVE!"

All forces begun to retreat from base centre, where Jakob noticed that Krystal was still standing there before the entrance ramp into the bunker, with a look of panic on her face. She tried making her legs move, but knowing that he was still down there made things a whole lot more complicated. She closed her eyes and focused.

'Jacques?' she thought, 'Jacques! Where are you?'

"KRYSTAL!"

She was startled when Jakob grabbed her by her arms; panic evident on his face as he didn't want to end his young life caught within an explosion.

"Let's go!" he exclaimed.

"No!" Krystal cried back, "He's still down there!"

"We don't have time!"

An explosion erupted from the bunker entrance and up the ramp, causing the both of them to turn and dive for cover, Jakob still holding her. They expected the flames to incinerate them as they fell on the ground but instead…

"Oh my God," Krystal said softly, "Jakob?"

Jakob opened his eyes and looked behind himself, letting go of Krystal. His eyes widened, seeing that flames emitting from the explosion had just stopped before them, as if time had been stopped in it's tracks. Instead the explosion had simply being halted from spreading, though they had now erupted from within the bunker and up onto the surface.

"What is this?" Jakob demanded, "How is this possible?"

_Do I once again sense doubt, Shas'la?_

Jakob rubbed his eyes as he saw a figure emerge from the flames. He and Krystal stepped back and allowed it to emerge unscathed from the flames, his grey armour shining brightly and almost heavenly. It was none other than Jacques Mortensen stepping out of the frozen fire and before Jakob and Krystal with his left hand raised, it releasing immense psychic power. Enough power to actually halt an explosion in it's tracks.

Krystal stared at him in disbelief, "Jacques?"

"Krystal," Jacques responded, "Jakob?"

Jakob shook his head slowly, trying to comprehend what he was saying, "It…this…I've never…."

"Clear this area, please," Jacques pleaded gently, "I can not hold this much longer."

They then ran away from the bunker, the power Jacques was wielding beginning to strain Jacques' mind. He held the flames back long enough for him, Jakob and Krystal to rejoin the forces just outside the boundaries of the base centre, who were all amazed as one Psyker managed to hold back the flames of a subterranean explosion.

Alexander turned to him and said, "You can let it go now, Mortensen."

Jacques nodded and lowered his hand, allowing the explosion to resume it's destructive course. It lit up the night as the bunker was destroyed, watched quietly by the Tau and Imperial Guard, as if holding a vigil. Once the explosion cleared, it left a large crater in the centre of the base, surrounded by the corpses of the entire remaining Chaos Space Marine, Cultist and their mutant wildlife servants.

Loud cheering broke out among the Tau and Guardsmen as they quickly celebrated their victory, knowing it was their united efforts that had destroyed the Alpha Legion's forces, and both factions were content with that. Falco looked over at Jacques, whom he heard panting heavily, "Nice work, Mortensen. What a way to start the war."

The Grey Knight caught his breath and looked over at him, where he replied, "That was not me, Falco. That was an act of cowardice."

Katt smirked and slung her rifle over his shoulder, "No surprise."

Silence overtook the masses as they quietly watched the remaining flames die out, each individual knowing that his was only the beginning of a possibly brutal conflict. Krystal, however, was shaken by what she had just seen. Surely Jacques could not wield such immense power, even for a Psyker-cross-Space Marine with a heart as pure as gold.

She couldn't help but think if he was really Jacques Mortensen, if he had changed since the time they were apart, if he was a different person altogether. The Grey Knight noticed her sullen look, and knew what she had to be thinking, even without having to look into her mind. Behind his helmet sadness crossed his face.

'I am him, Krystal,' he thought, but only to himself, 'And I will prove it to you. But only if you will ask me to.'


	11. Chapter 10: Beginning Of The Coalition

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_Edits made:__ Number of Tau troops._

* * *

Chapter 10 – Beginning Of The Coalition

* * *

_The Despoiler comes forth once again, and he cannot be stopped by force of arms alone. It is his will that the stars be stained red with the blood of all who oppose him. An infinite horde of fiends, mutants and cacodaemons obey his command to devour Cadia alive. But he will not stop there. __If our faith in the Emperor and our force of arms prove strong, the forces of Chaos can be driven back into hell. If we are found wanting,  
Humanity will fall._**- Lord Inquisitor Hephaestos Grudd of the Ordo Malleus**

Hours later Solar begun to rise across the desert sky of Titania, the Tau Explorer craft Infinity hovered above the Cornerian/Chaos encampment as the Tau and Imperial Guard got to the task of recovering their dead and burning the fallen human's bodies. Already the smoke from the burning mounds of flesh were reaching the sky, the smell of burnt flesh mingled somehow with sulfur invaded the sinuses of everybody present.

One Guardsman helped a Tau Fire Warrior with a Cultist's body, which he grabbed one end and the Tau grabbed the other. They carried it over to a nearest burning mountainous pile, where three heaves later the Cultist was burning as well. The Guardsman wiped the moisture forming on his forehead, the heat of the fire inflaming his senses.

The Farsight Enclave Fire Warrior looked over at the Guardsman as he took off his helmet, "This is all just sickening, isn't it, gue'la?"

"Fuckin' A!" the masked Guardsman responded tiredly, "I don't see why we just can't leave the corpses for the mutants!"

"You should trust our leaders," the Fire Warrior said, "They know what they are doing. I see the sense in the destruction of these Chaos-warped bodies."

"You do?" the Guardsman asked, "What's that, blueskin?"

"To remove every single trace of the taint forever," the Fire Warrior replied firmly, "Beside the Orks, the Shas'O had fought Chaos on a number of occasions. And he had quickly adapted to their battle-tactics and the importance of quickly expunging the mad power that is Chaos."

The Guardsman shrugged, "Whatever you say. Help me with the rest of these rotting chunks of meat?"

The Fire Warrior smiled, "Gladly, vesa"

Krystal and Jacques from near the entrance into the command centre as the bodies were being exhumed, the sight and smell already getting to Krystal's stomach, where she turned away and found herself staring down, alongside the other heroes, at the corpse of the Sorcerer formally known as Artemis. The horrific expression on his face as he had witnessed pure righteous force before he had died was enough to disturb anyone. Krystal gripped her blood-soaked staff in her left hand, rubbing her forehead with the other.

Jacques sheathed his sword as he turned and said, "It would seem that this Sorcerer underestimated Jakob at his own fatality."

"I hear that," Falco agreed, then turned to Jakob and patted his shoulder, "Nice going, Jakob."

Jakob smiled, "Thanks. Though I think we should have kept him alive long enough to have picked his brain."

"No need," Alexander expressed as he got on one knee and reached forward for the Chaos medallion around Artemis' neck, "Jacques would have pried into the prick-of-a-Chaos Lord's mind after his mental defences went down. Am I right?"

Jacques nodded as he stepped forward and produced a flannel and wiped the blood off his power sword, "Yes, but he was so determined to keep me out that I did not see everything. But I did get something that confirms…"

He then sighed sadly, just as Krystal sheathed the staff behind her back.

"…our worse fears," he finished.

"What is that?" O'Shovah asked.

"That this is Abaddon the Despoiler's Fourteenth Black Crusade after all," Jacques explained, "He has decided to redirect his course from the Eye of Terror and the Cadian Gate to the Lylat System. Unfortunately Lord Ezekiel became bored with life before I could pry deeper."

Alexander looked over at Jacques with a worried frown, before he said, "Guess your mental impulses were right after all. I didn't think it would be in Abaddon's 'good' nature to try and fuck the Imperium from behind."

Katt looked up at hearing Alexander say that, "What'd you say?"

Alexander frowned, "You heard me, feline. In case you didn't catch it, Abaddon managed to grab the opportunity to set his next tainted wave of destruction upon the Imperium from behind, knowing that the majority of the defences are aimed at the Eye…"

Before he could explain further a Tau Orca transport descended from the Infinity above. All heads turned towards it, especially O'Shovah. He knew who was coming down personally onto the battlefield and mentally prepared himself for a righteous berating from the Aun'shi himself. He stepped towards the shuttle as it touched down on the asphalt.

Jakob shook his head softly and muttered, "Damn it all."

"It's that Ethereal jerk, eh?" Falco indicated with a smirk, "I had no idea he was attracted to the smell of barbequed human."

Jacques raised his hand towards him, "Be silent, Falco. It would not be in your best interest to wisecrack a Tau Ethereal. They would hold power over your life through the members of their Fire Cadre."

Falco shushed himself, but not before uttering, "Whatever you say, Helmethair."

Jacques caught that remark, and immediately begun to feel weary about the fact he was still hiding his face from them. Just as he was about to think further upon the subject the Orca's door opened and out stepped Aun'shi and escort of two T'au-aligned Fire Warriors and a battlesuit. O'Shovah stepped forward to greet the Councillor, but as predicted Aun'shi didn't waste time in dropping the hammer down on.

"What the do you think are doing, Shovah?" Aun'shi demanded, his escort gripping their weapons, "Now I know for sure you have lost your mind!"

"I am performing a service for my people and for the Greater Good, Ethereal," O'Shovah responded calmly, "These humans helped us take down these minions of Chaos. As soldiers for a mutual cause we fought…and won."

"Do you realise what you've done here?" he exclaimed, "Allying with Alexander himself? What do you think the rest of the Ethereal Caste will think of us! WHAT YOU DO THINK AUN'VI AND THE ENTIRE ETHEREAL CASTE WILL THINK OF US NOW?"

"Hey," Falco exclaimed, stepping forward, "Chill out, old timer…before you burst a vein."

Jakob cringed, Aun'shi's escorts raised their weapons at Falco. Immediately Jacques rushed before Falco with his metallic fists clinched, stepping between the avian and the Ethereal, just beside O'Shovah. Jacques let off a deep, throaty intimidating growl, shocking Krystal at seeing him put himself in harm's way

"You dare harm my companions over my dead body, Ethereal," he snapped, "We came in peace and you threaten us with plasma fire."

Aun'shi was not amused, "You stay out this Imperial, Lylatians. Especially you…"

He pointed at Alexander.

"…Governor-Militant."

Alexander frowned, "You Ethereal Councillors are supposed to be the almighty benevolent leaders of your race, yet you threaten possibly one of the greatest Tau commanders in existence."

"For you information, Bloodspiller of Kronus," Aun'shi responded sharply, "O'Shovah has endangered his invitation back to T'au by allying with you. I was not at all eager to see him lost to the cause once again."

Katt nodded and turned to O'Shovah, fingers on her chin, "Yeah, of course. I heard that 'Commander Farsight' and his followers had been banished because of their battle tactics and their views on warfare."

'More than that, actually,' O'Shovah thought, 'The damned C'tan.'

Aun'shi looked interested as he suddenly asked, "How come you know so much about us, young feline?"

"I read it somewhere," Katt replied, "I can't remember what, but I did read about him. Or at least heard about him anyway."

"I'm flattered, Monroe," O'Shovah said, then reasoned, "Aun'shi is right, you should stay out of this. This is between me and him."

"Then you should resolve it as fast as humanely possible," Jacques said as he crossed his arms, "If we are to act together against the incursion of the Forces of Chaos, we must act fast."

"Together?" Aun'shi queried, "You mean…as an alliance?"

Alexander felt massive relief upon relaying that word 'alliance' to him, and that it got his attention. He knew what awaited the universe should Chaos get out of the Lylat System, and though he and his men were breakaways from the Imperium; they still had an obligation to protecting humanity, and especially the Emperor of Mankind.

"Why don't we just talk about all this?" Krystal suggested firmly, "On board the Infinity if that's alright with you?"

Aun'shi looked at the Cerinian and pondered on what she had just said, whose words sounded virtuous and of responsibility. He had immediately realised right away that she was the last of the Cerinian Royal Family, and was glad she had not forgotten her birthright in acting in such a responsible manner.

Nevertheless, he smiled, "Of course. I am sure we will be able to resolve all our grievances through words. And to…plan our next move."

"Glad you agree with us," Alexander smiled.

Aun'shi then narrowed his eyes, "But do not expect us to treat you as guests, Alexander and Mortensen."

"Fair enough," Jacques stated, "Let us go."

The Orca opened it's doors, immediately Falco, Katt, Krystal, O'Shovah and Aun'shi stepped towards it. Just as Jakob turned away to rejoin his team, O'Shovah called out to him…

"Shas'la?"

Jakob spun around, surprised O'Shovah was speaking to him.

"Yes, Shas'O?"

"Have you forgotten your obligation to guard our 'guests', La'Jakob?"

Now Jakob was really surprised. He smiled, "No, I haven't, Shas'O."

"Then get on board."

Jakob checked his watch: Thirty minutes and slowly yet painfully counting down. To him it was high time that he was getting back to his ship, where he had a very 'personal' matter to take care of. A very personal matter, which to him, was always unpleasant.

"On my way," he shouted back, where he ran towards the ship and hopped on board, just as the doors closed and the ship ascended up towards the Infinity.

----------

The Cultist screamed as he felt himself levitate in the and every bone in his body slowly being shattered as he twisted and contorted, blood spewing forth from the last gash across his chest. His terrified eyes were focused on the Sorcerer who had his hand stretched towards him, Chaotic energies flowing forth and engulfing him. Abaddon stood nearby, his pulsating daemon sword Drach'nyen in his left hand, which was coated in the blood of the Thousand Sons Cultist.

"Oh please my lord," the Cultist cried, "Have mercy!"

Abaddon sheathed his sword and turned to the Sorcerer.

"Let him down now, Zaraphiston."

The Sorcerer turned to him and nodded, "As you wish, Warmaster."

The Sorcerer clinched his hand and the Cultist fell back down to the Earth, completely shattered physically and mentally. He soon found himself back in the air as Abaddon grabbed him by the throat and lifted him, all the while being watched by other Cultists and Marines, who each dared not to step in and try to settle their master's anger.

"Anything else to report, servant?" Abaddon asked, as if daring the Cultist to continue giving bad news.

The Cultist shook his head slowly, "No…master. That's…that's about it."

The Despoiler moved his power claw towards the Cultist's head and etched a cross on his forehead, the blood seeping down into his eyes. Abaddon then let go of the Cultist, which he slid down the wall towards the floor, breathing harshly as he tried to get air into his lungs. He looked up to see his master smiling down at him.

"Because you were bold enough to personally deliver this news to me, I think I'll let you live," Abaddon announced, before signalling with his hand for two Marines, "Get him out of my sight!"

Two Marines complied, as they stepped towards the Cultist and grabbed him by the legs. They dragged him through the chamber door and down the hallway, all the while a wide smile crossed the Cultist's bloodied face as felt grateful for being spared his life, despite the fact he would probably bleed to death in about a few minutes.

The helmet-clad Sorcerer responsible for the torture was _**Zaraphiston**_, the Despoiler's personal Sorcerer, advisor and a master of torture and 'convincing' prisoners to hand over information vital towards the downfall of the Imperium. For thousands of years he had stood by Abaddon's side, ever since the end of the Horus Heresy and the banishment of the Traitor Legions into the Eye of Terror. He had been present for every one of Abaddon's accursed Black Crusades against the universe, or more accurately against the _**Gothic Sector**_ which most of the wars outside Lylat had been fought up to this point.

The Sorcerer sensed something familiar in the eye, hanging above Abaddon's corrupted mind. He suddenly became emphatic, which would always make him very uncomfortable, as he couldn't care less what other people felt…but kept it to himself, especially around Warmaster Abaddon.

"I can feel your bitterness, Warmaster Abaddon," Zaraphiston stated suddenly, "And it perfectly mirrors that of what you felt of _**Horus**_."

"Thank you for pointing that out, Sorcerer," Abaddon replied with a dry chuckle, not facing him, before he continued sarcastically, "The Alpha Legion was as effective and triumphant as Horus when he fought the False Emperor."

"There are still more companies of the chapter to deploy yet," Zaraphiston pointed out, "And each one is more than eager to prove their loyalty to you and the Dark Gods."

"Bah!" Abaddon exclaimed, facing the Sorcerer and looking him in the eye, "Two conservative failures is quite enough. I am keeping them here on Corneria to finish off the remainder of the furry military and whip the cult groupsinto shape, fit to serve the Dark Gods _our_ way."

Zaraphiston narrowed his eyes, hearing him reference the Alpha Legion's defeat on Tartarus and of their fall just hours ago, "I agree with you, Warmaster. Now…what is your next move?"

Abaddon brushed the dust of his armour and responded, "Send in Ahriman."

The door opened again to reveal the Sorcerer/Librarian Ahriman of the Thousand Sons' legion, adorned in his elaborate blue/gold armour and robe in all their glory, as well as the twisted staff he carried. Zaraphiston excused himself, stepping out just as Ahriman walked in, both fallen Psyker's making vehement eye contact as they passed one another, their rivalry making itself a reality.

"My lord," Ahriman greeted, facing Abaddon away from Zaraphiston as he left the chamber, "You summon me?"

"I have, Librarian," Abaddon said, "It would seem you and your Cabal would have to wait a while longer until you can spill the Cerinian's blood on the steps of the Imperator. I just received word that Star Fox has just received reinforcements."

"The remnants of the Cornerian military may I guess?" Ahriman asked with a smile, "Their weapons are ineffective against our armour."

Abaddon shook his head, "The Tau Empire and the Children of Eden."

Not sounding or looking surprised, Ahriman continued, "Is that so, my lord. Well, I wouldn't consider them a true threat, seeing that those refugees are been exhausted through years of being pursued by their own Inquisition. One has to wonder how they could survive for as long as the have. As for the Tau…"

"If you are going to say they too are no threat, hold your tongue!" Abaddon exclaimed, "It would only be a matter of time before these two unlikely servants of the False Emperor rally the support of the furries in this system. That is why you are here."

Ahriman kept silent as Abaddon continued, listening to the Warmaster of Chaos continued on. He looked out through the chamber's window and over Corneria, seeing massive mushroom clouds and fireballs appear on the continents as the fighting continued savagely.

"The Dark Gods have spoken to me, and have commanded that you and your Cabal are to begin your search for the Imperator," Abaddon explained, "First you will travel to Fortuna with your fellow Thousand Sons and help secure it. Then you will continue on from there."

"I must say that this is too good to be an honour, my lord," Ahriman observed, "We have always sought to unravel the artifacts of the Dark Gods, and them charging us with finding this ultimate weapon for them is, to me, a dream come true."

"Well I suggest you do not disappoint them," Abaddon pointed out sharply as he turned to face him, "Now I hope that you are now on good terms with your own chapter, and to spread the taint on your journeys throughout this accursed system."

Ahriman beat his chest in a salute, "For the Dark Gods."

He turned on his heels and stepped out of the doors, leaving Abaddon alone with the Marines and the Cultists present. One of the Chaos Champions stepped forward, got on his knees and bowed before the Despoiler.

"My lord," the Champion begun, "The warfleets are ready to move out on your command."

Abaddon nodded, and went over the Rules of Engagement in his twisted, corrupted mind. The four 'Dedicated' legions of Chaos would each move the invasion forward and secure a planet in the system and establish their base of operations while the other **Undivided** legions would be free to bring hurt and ruin to the system wherever they see fit.

The **World Eaters**, the Chosen of **Khorne**, would be deployed to **Katina** – The Cornerian Fortress World.

The **Thousand Sons**, the Chosen of **Tzeentch**, are to be sent to secure **Fortuna** – The Jungle World. Ahriman's Cabal would begin their search for the Imperator from there. And if they knew what was good and healthy for them they would find it fast, or feel the wrath of both the God of Pleasure or the Warmaster himself.

The ironically named** Emperor's Children**, the Chosen of** Slaanesh**, primary target is **Macbeth** – The Hollow Supply World.

And finally, the **Death Guard's**, the Chosen of** Nurgle,** has their sights aimed at **Fichina** – The Ice World. The Academy there would produce excellent minds for the growing Cornerian cult groups, which would soon to spread throughout the system.

As of **Sauria, **the Dinosaur Planet, it was not of any tactical importance…yet.

He smiled as he clasped his hands together sinisterly, "And to think the Imperium and the False Emperor know nothing of our grand mission here. But they will know, once we attack them from where they least suspect…"

His eyes glowed crimson as he felt the Chaos Gods' divine power flow through him…

"From the back, where they least suspect us!"

He then stepped towards the chamber's window away from the bowing Champion to see some of the Chaos fleet moving away from Corneria, en-route to conquer the rest of the Lylat and to crush all who oppose the evil power that is Chaos. Abaddon felt confident in the knowledge that the only people that could have stopped him would now be too late to stop the advance of the Traitor Legions now.

But still, he was curious to see what the Children of Eden and the Tau Expeditionary Force could throw at them, and especially the mercenary Star Fox and their leader, Fox McCloud. The son of James McCloud…whom Abaddon shared a rather brief acquaintance long ago.

'Your sons will pay for your arrogance, McCloud,' he thought bitterly, 'And I do mean the _BOTH_ of them.'

----------

Meanwhile sailing slowly towards the Lylat System, in all it's elegance, was a fleet of Eldar Ulthwe vessels. Despite looking hostile with their numerous spear weaponry and cannons on their hull, they was truly some of the wonders to gaze at in the universe with pleasure. Seeing it's sleek shape and movements as unique and completely different to what Chaos, Imperium, Cornerian and practically what any other species had to offer in their fleets.

Within the command ship and kneeling before the energy-driven Webway gate alongside the Seer Warhost, Farseer Taldeer was once again in deep thought, recanting her new task. And that was taking her to the Lylat System, the place where she believed she would never have to travel too in a million years. In the eons of life the Eldar have lived she had only existed for nearly 400 years. To them, this was still quite young.

She couldn't believe that she could sense the taint in the relatively peaceful Lylat System, but she saw the tactical advantage it had if the Despoiler ever wanted to attack the Imperium, where even their Emperor wouldn't be able to foresee until it's too late. And once Chaos was done with him and the entire Imperium of Man, all other life would soon fall under the boltgun, chainsword and claw of the Forces of Chaos.

"Not since the Fall have we Eldar faced a crisis that even we ourselves may not be able to contain," she spoke to herself and to the Councillors near her, "The Great Enemy once again has the keys to bring about the final end of all that live. Chaos now doesn't seek to control the universe, but to destroy it. An everlasting sacrifice to the Dark Gods."

Taldeer than stood up to face the Webway, she then turned around to face her kind.

"But there is hope, my kin," she continued, this time with some degree of relief, "For the Archon himself lives, and has reunited with the remnants of his people alongside the Imperium's downtrodden and persecuted. He has selflessly thrown himself into the fray to protect those he holds dear, one of whom he shares deep affection for, but is yet to realise it. She in return realises her feelings for him, but dares not tell for the sake of whom she thought she was in love with."

"Our old foe General Sturnn and the 412th slowly approach the system from the other side. But we need not be concerned of him, for he and his men will have no choice but to ally with us once again in eradicating this evil."

One of the Seers got stood up and faced the Farseer.

"What does the records say of these individuals, exalted Farseer?" he asked, "One of which has the power to stop the Despoiler himself?"

The Farseer nodded, "The Black Library holds within it's shelves a certain individual who holds the key to strike Chaos deep in the heart. A Messiah if you will. His past is torn with tragedy, but he has persevered despite all the odds."

"Who is he then?"

"The Black Library does not say," Taldeer replied, "It is down to us to find him and to steel him against the Forces of Disorder. My brothers and sisters, the end of this age is drawing to a close and we must now fight one more battle to ensure the survival of our species. The entire universe even, not just reserved in our galaxy."

She the raised her Singing Sword into the air, where the Seers each stood up and drew their own blades.

"For I have foreseen in the coming months we the Black Guardians, who can never be pulled back by the tides of the Eye shall once again BE AT WAR!"

The whole chamber was then lit up to find every member of the fleet, all 6,000 of them, each kneeling on the ground with the Farseer, the Seers and the Webway gate in the centre. Upon Taldeer's declaration they each drew their swords into the air and each cried out into the air in a singular cry of war.

----------

"DAMN THE GREY KNIGHT AND HIS FUCKING FURRY…er?"

Ezekiel woke up with a loud, cursed-filled start. Upon realising that he was still alive despite feeling like he was on fire as the skin around his neck and head were seared from the explosion. He grunted in pain as he felt blood trickle down the sides of his head, as well as a piece of metal through his chest. He quickly pulled it out of his chest, felt the deep wound immediately close up, and healed itself.

His vision gradually cleared and found he was trapped underneath several tons of the bunker's rubble, massive burns gracing over his head and face, his armour now charred, but still intact. He gritted his teeth, screamed in might as he forced himself up from his grave. With Warp-driven energy surging through him he practically drilled himself up through the concrete until he punched his way out onto the surface, letting out another roar of might as he reached for his scythe.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN KILL ME AND STOP THE TA…damn it."

He saw that the abandoned Cornerian outpost was now deserted once again. He looked up, saw the rapidly vanishing Tau and Imperial dropships ascending into the air, before disappearing into the atmosphere. Looking around he saw the burning piles of tainted humans and mutated Titanian lifeforms, the smell immediately assaulting his nostrils.

His face turned to anger as he threw his scythe onto the ground and fell to his knees, opening his mouth to scream out in frustration as he held his hands up almost in anguish.

"DARK GODS!" he cried out into the air, "WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"

He knew that if he ever returned to the Despoiler his skull would immediately be removed and thrown before Khorne's Skull Throne. For losing both this battle and his Cerinian prey he knew he was now dishonoured and his life was forfeit. The Alpha Legion was once again branded as failures and the black sheep of the Traitor Legions once again.

Overall, he saw himself as a complete and total liability, walking in the footsteps of Lord Bale and Sorcerer Sindri Myr, the two Alpha Legion commanders to have failed their grand tasks on the planet Tartarus so may years ago. Now in a system, which was completely hostile to him, he was now not only threatened by the native furries but by his former brothers, who would jump at the first opportunity to claim his failed head. He would now have to fight everything and everyone to survive another day here in the Lylat System.

Or would he? He noticed that he was still alive, that the Dark Gods themselves had not struck him down or withdrew their gifts from him. Predicably, he took this as a sign. He looked up at the sky and could sense the small fleet of six Imperial ships and one Tau craft, and immediately remembered that there was one good-working Cornerian transport in the underground hangar below him.

He bent over and recovered his scythe, still sensing the power of Chaos within the blade. He smiled, feeling his faith strengthen.

'Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, Slaanesh,' he thought determinedly, 'Forgive me for my failure and for my outburst, I realise now what my purpose is in being kept alive. And all it took was the loss of my men and…'

He looked over at the still recognisable body of Sorcerer Artemis as it burned at the top of the nearest funeral pyre.

'…my closest companion. I shall hunt down the Cerinian vixen known as Krystal and bring her in for sacrifice. I do not care if my brothers will deem me a traitor on sight and will seek to kill me in your name…'

He stood up with his head still bowed.

'…it is not of any importance or even annoyance. I shall apprehend the Crown Princess of Cerinia and slay anyone who stand in the way between me and our goal of finally ridding this universe of all who both stand in your way and…'

His eyes flared up in anger as he held his scythe in the air, as if allowing the Gods to bless it.

'…defile your name.'

He then lowered his arms and straightened his neck, before he pulled his cape behind him and marched towards the entrance to the underground hangar, past the burning bodies of his men, the charred wreckage of his broken war machines and the rotting corpses of his mutant allies. Religious fanaticism was fresh in his corrupted mind and vengeance coursed through his tainted veins.

"Fox McCloud, Jacques Mortensen and Krystal," he recanted the names to himself, "Three future sacrifices for the Dark Gods."

----------

Slowly leaving Titania's orbit, the Children of Eden fleet of six ships plus the Tau Explorer with the wrecked Great Fox in tow begun their venture into a rapidly changing, practically unknown void that at one time used to be called the Lylat System.

On board the Mars-class Battlecruiser known as the _**Augustus**_it's crew kept a steady vigil as they steered the vessel away from Titania, with the others ships of this small fleet following close behind as it practically led them, aside from the Tau Explorer Infinity which was beside it. The Captain of the cruiser softly watched the Tau craft from the bridge.

"Captain," a youthful deckhand stepped up to him and saluted, "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

The middle-aged black-haired Captain turned to him and nodded, "Granted."

"Should we be on high alert unless the Tau charge their ship's weapon systems, sir?" he asked, "And what of Governor Alexander and Commander Mortensen?"

"Relax steward," the Captain reassured him, "Mortensen will know how to stay on the aliens' good side and besides…that's why we're even here at all."

"Understood, sir," the steward replied, "I would guess that Mortensen knew what he was doing when he and the 'Edenians' asked the Governor to steer the fleet here?"

A bridge technician's eyes perked up at hearing that. He looked up from to his console to see both the captain and the steward. He frowned slightly at them, hearing that he and his people have now been mentioned into the conversation.

"Something like that," the Captain muttered, before exclaiming, "Now back to your post!"

The steward saluted, "Yes, sir!"

The technician lowered his head when the steward passed by him and left the bridge. He glanced briefly over at him as he disappeared through the door, before looking over at the captain and exhaled gently.

'The Archon speaks for us,' he thought, 'He is the greatest of all of us. He knows what he is doing.'

The Tau Explorer Infinity stayed close to the Imperial fleet, the wreckage from the Great Fox II in town. Earth Caste Builder robots were working tirelessly on repairing the Cornerian carrier and were determined to bring it back to full life, as it was in their program. On board the Infinity all were present in the rather elaborately decorated conference room, with Jacques, Alexander, Aun'shi, Krystal, Falco and Katt seated at the large table. Falco shuffled uncomfortably in his seat.

"Man, your butts must have natural padding to even think of sitting on these chairs," Falco complained rather humorously, noting how the seat felt hard on his backside.

"Sorry, we do not have cushions, Lombardi," Aun'shi noted.

"Hey, where'd Farsight go?" Falco then asked, "He vanished after we got back on this…"

The door into the room opend and revealed a Tau individual in a red and blue coloured armour, a different variation of the Tau symbol on his chest plating. He did not look any different from the other Tau, with his flat-faced, blue skinned features, yet his face was cragged more with age. He smiled as he saw that all eyes were focused on him. Aun'shi turned his seat towards him.

"So you decided to come out of hiding?" Aun'shi asked, "After how long?"

"Too long, Ethereal."

Everyone was facing O'Shovah as he was finally out of his battlesuit, where he then stepped over towards the Ethereal's side and stood there by him. Aun'shi exhaled gently as he faced down the table towards Alexander, the militant staring back with his clasped hands on the table and twiddling his thumbs gently. A smile spread across the Governor-Militant's face as he decided to speak first.

"I told you we came in peace, Aun," Alexander said, "I know we've had our differences in the past, but I believe our combined might and victory this day more than makes up for our indiscretions on Kronus."

Aun'shi shook his head slowly and grimly, "No, it does not human. Your victory on Kronus costed the lives of nearly every Tau and righteous gue'la civilians on our world and if it was for the fact that O'Shovah spoke for you, you humans would be dead."

"Alright!" Katt exclaimed as she got tired with all this verbal jousting, "Jeez, enough with the vague threats already. For now I'd like to think of Chaos as my enemy, not a minority from the Tau Empire."

"Vague?" Aun'shi questioned, "Minority?"

O'Shovah turned to the Ethereal, "Aun, what we have before us are representatives of the victims of Imperial persecution. Mortensen, the three thousand surviving Children that had managed to get off the planet and somehow escape from Imperial control. Whilst Alexander represents the remainder of the Kronus 1st Regiment…"

He paused for a moment, recollecting himself.

"…the same unfortunate Imperial Guard regiment to have devastated our colony, but having become part of the Children eight years earlier he and the four-thousand Guardsmen serve as the protectorate of these groups of refugees."

Aun'shi rolled his eyes slightly, "Please spare me, Commander."

Jacques continued this conversation, "There used to be more than seven-thousand of these survivors, but frequent attacks courtesy of the Inquisition have drastically lowered our numbers. We would all be dead by now if we had not come here, in order to stand against the Forces of Chaos."

He was silent for a moment, thinking on his words, and sorting through his thoughts.

"It is to be expected that the Imperium has not sensed the taint all the way here," he continued, "Which I must say is partly a blessing. For if they were to send the majority of their forces here, Lylat would surely be destroyed."

"I don't doubt that, Jac," Falco groaned.

Krystal sighed as she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, "We should be concentrating on how we're going to continue fighting Chaos and still have be in one piece. It will be a matter of time before they send more troops after us."

"Yes," O'Shovah agreed, "We must act quickly lest we fall to the Dark Tides. But we must ask you: How is it that Chaos got into this system despite your rather resilient Border Defences?"

"That you must know we used our stealth technology to bypass," Aun'shi added with glee, "Without a single lost life, mind you."

Katt shuddered as she remembered, "They came in through the Beltino Orbital Gate."

Jacques eyebrows crossed in surprise, "That can not be possible. Chaos can only come into the material universe through the Eye of Terror."

"That's what we all thought, buddy," Falco related, "Obviously they found another way in. And that way just happened to be her in good ol' Lylat."

"And if you want to keep your system," Aun'shi said, "You are going to need more men with arms to hold them back."

Alexander looked his way confusingly, "You realise you don't have to stick around. Though we need all the help we can get…"

O'Shovah waved his hand sideways in a 'silence' motion, "No. We are done running from the evil power that is Chaos. For too long these mad gue'la have brought death to our people. Though our numbers are weak yet our hearts are not lacking, we shall stand our ground and if necessary, fight alongside even humanity against this evil."

Katt smiled, "Now that's reassuring."

Aun'shi smiled back, "Besides, I could just contact T'au for reinforcements, though it would take a month for them to arrive here. I doubt we will survive that long to greet them."

Krystal sensed the fatalism evident in the air, with them all talking about fighting Chaos and risking their own lives. She was bewildered by these humanoids outside the Lylat System and how they did not fear death, as if once oblivion embraces them they will ascend to a greater plane. This would seem true for the Imperials.

She turned to Jacques and saw that he still had his helmet on. This saddened Krystal greatly, as she longed to see her saviour and spiritual brother's face once more. She could not handle it much longer; she had to ask of him…

"Jacques?"

The Grey Knight, home was seat across from her, turned his head and acknowledged, "Krystal?"

"Could you take your helmet off, please?"

Silence suddenly overtook the entire room, with all eyes turned to both Krystal and her odd request. Through his red eye ports, Krystal could look into Jacques' soul and sense he was starting to feel uncomfortable, which was strange even for him.

"My…helmet?" Jacques queried.

Krystal nodded and smiled softly, "I need to know if you really are Jacques."

Falco rolled his eye around and thought, 'Great, this is where it really gets emotional.'

Alexander, O'Shovah and Aun'shi turned to Jacques, where even Jakob stepped away from the door to get a closer look, interested in what Jacques could be hiding behind his helmet. They heard Jacques exhale loudly in a sigh.

"If you wish, Krystal," Jacques responded, "I know for sure that you will not look at me any differently."

Krystal shook her head and said firmly, "Never."

He hesitantly raised his hands towards his helmet. They heard him exhale gently, which Alexander didn't look surprised about what was about to transpire. He narrowed his eyes and wiped his brow. Falco and Katt looked closely at him as Krystal noticed the silence having crept itself into the air once again. She wondered if she asked the right thing from him.

'I'm about to find out,' Krystal thought to herself and privately, knowing that Jacques wouldn't tap into her mind out of respect.

The sound of armour creaking could be heard as Jacques pulled off his helmet and put it on the table before her, and before her only. Falco suppressed a smirk upon seeing him whilst Katt held back a cry of surprise. Krystal, however, just looked at him quietly, and with much sadness, finally seeing the face of her best friend.

"Jacques?"

Everything about the Space Marine known as Jacques Mortensen was there: His short brown hair arranged in a flattop, his piercing fox-like green eyes, the two small mechanical implants above his right eye, Krystal's emerald necklace he now wore over his neck. And that scar across his forehead courtesy of the explosion near the Great Fox's airlock a year ago. But what was now different about him apart from being a Grey Knight was that it would appear that his age was now catching up to him, as he now looked about thirty years old. He had another rather deep facial scar, which was down his face diagonally. It connected with his other scar, almost forming the number **7** on his face. He also had two smaller scars under his jaw near his jugular where his spit glands would be. Krystal immediately guessed that the Space Marine _**Gene-seed**_, the _**Betcher's Gland**_, which would make his saliva acidic was removed.

Possibly to stop him from trying to escape, though he wouldn't have wanted to escape at all.

Jacques smiled gently at Krystal, glad to have finally taken that accursed helmet off and the images it had been projecting into his mind and in allowing her to see his face. It faded with surprise when Krystal scrambled onto the table and knelt before him, where she stretched her hand forward and caressed the side of his face gently, seeing that the newest large scar barely missed being in contact with his left eye. Sadness crossed his face as she caressed.

"I heard you call out…to me," Krystal said softly, retracting her hand gently, "What did they do to you?"

Jacques tried to focus his eyes away from her, but couldn't as she touched his face and drawing all of his attention to look into her eyes, finding this experience strangely soothing. He shook his head slightly, exhaled gently and spoke in his normal, British-sounding tone of voice, "I do not know. But where I regained my mind, a part of the horrible truth conveniently revealed itself."

"You can say that," Alexander joined in the conversation, standing next to Jacques, "We found him lying in a sea of blood and surrounded by nearly dozens of human bodies on some Feral World that was to be scheduled for Exterminatus. His sword was stained with their blood and he looked almost literally like fucking shit. It took him nearly a week to recover…emotionally and spiritually, that is."

"What exactly happened to you, dude?" Falco queried, "How'd you end up like this anyway? Sounds like you're holding back something you really wanna tell us."

Jacques nodded and explained, "After a successful mission involving Eldar help I was put on trial before the three Ordos of the Emperor's Holy Inquisition and charged with consorting with alien powers."

Krystal shook her head sadly as she now sat firmly on the table before him, shocked, "Oh, no. Jacques."

Jacques continued, "I was sent spiralling into that place where there is no pain nor through after I was sentenced to a cruel fate reserved for heretics. Afterwards the next thing I realised after I returned back to reality, I was lying on a table and I find myself adorned in Grey Knight armour aboard a rogue battleship belonging to the Kronus Liberators. They told me what had happened…"

"I don't doubt he suffered memory loss due to becoming a Grey Knight," Alexander interrupted, before he frowned, "Or if he's refusing to tell us what happened between his trial and joining the Children of Eden."

Jacques narrowed his eyes and said, "I swear on the Golden Throne of Terra that I honestly have no idea what happened to me in the time following my incorporation into the Children of Eden. But guessing what had happened on that primitive world, killing all those civilians, the Inquisition made me accomplish their dirty work for them. And afterwards they left me to die, all in the name of Humanity."

Krystal was now not only feeling shocked and devastated, but angry. She thought, 'Damn you, Inquisition! How could you do this to him?'

In the background Jacques frowned and thought, 'You mean you're humanity, Imperial. Not the Gue'vesa of the Tau.'

_That __is __what I meant, Jakob. I will not bring your definition of humanity into this conversation, Shas'la._

Jakob gasped, hearing Jacques talk to him in his mind. He quickly shook his head and stood back, noticing Jacques glancing at him sadly.

Krystal shook her head again and placed a hand on Jacques' shoulder, she said reassuringly and thought about his words, "Don't say that, Jacques. Whatever did happen to you and what they made you do afterwards I'm sure there was no way you had any say in it."

"I know that," Jacques said as he looked over at her, "But still…"

He shrugged.

"…what is the extent of the damage and suffering I myself inflicted? It will pain me to never know."

O'Shovah hovered forward towards the campfire and said, "If we're quite finished sympathising with Mortensen, we have an enemy whom as we continue to speak is preparing to bring down his blood-covered fist on this system. We must act fast."

Alexander nodded, "Yes. But we going to have to play it smart as well."

"I agree with you, Alexander, O'Shovah," Jacques said, his warrior spirit taking over and pushing back all traces of his sorrow, "We must locate and secure this 'Site #2' we have heard over our own communication lines. If the remaining majority of the Cornerian army has withdrawn there, we can organise and launch a series of counter-attacks."

"With precision if I may add," Jakob added, "It's four-thousand Imperial Guardsman plus six-hundred and thirty three Fire Warriors (including the Farsight Enclaves may I add) against almost all the Chaos Traitor Legions. With a little luck if we reach the Cornerian army we might have another, what? Four thousand to eight thousand troops?"

Krystal shook her head sadly, "It's bound to be less than that. But at least it's something."

"They must also know of the obvious question," Jacques reasoned surprisingly, "And the answer."

"What's the obvious question?" Jakob asked, curious, "And the answer?"

Jacques and Alexander looked over at him as he continued, "The Question: Why has Warmaster Abaddon the Despoiler decided to launch his 14th Black Crusade here? The Answer: In order to engage the Imperium from the rear.

"From the rear?" Krystal was startled, "You mean…?"

"Like I was going to say before. The Lylat System lies at least one million light years from the edges of the _**Segmentum Pacificus**_, one of the five intergalactic regions that are part of the _**Segmentae Majoris. **_These regions surround and guard Holy Terra itself," Alexander explained fervently, "If one of those sectors were to fall, Terra would be open to direct attack."

Krystal rubbed her chin and pondered slightly, where it immediately came to her, "They wouldn't be expecting Chaos to attack those regions, as the bulk of the defences against it would be situated at the Cadian Gate near the Eye of…"

Her eyes widened in horror as she realised.

"…Terror?"

"You catch on pretty quick, vixen," Alexander commented, "With the Despoiler at the helm of every single Fallen Space Marine Legion, the Imperium of Man would fall…"

"We know," Aun'shi ruled out, "Then Chaos will concentrate their efforts on bleeding out the other powers in the universe. Most likely the Tau first."

Suddenly they all heard a rapid beeping sound, which came from Jakob and his wristwatch. He looked at it and for a second he felt he couldn't breath when the numbers counting down reached zero. Jakob sighed and stood from his seat.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," Jakob announced, "I've got a private matter to take care off. Permission to see to it?"

Aun'shi nodded, "Of course, Shas'la."

Jakob smiled, slightly painfully, "Thank you, Ethereal."

As turned to leave the conference room, Krystal called out to him as she got off the table and her feet firmly on the marble-like ground.

"Jakob, wait!"

He stopped in his tracks just as the door opened, he turned to her suddenly, still smiling, "Yes, Krystal?"

The Cerulean vixen smiled, "Thank you for helping us today, La'Jakob. We wouldn't have survived if wasn't for you."

Jakob smile widened, where it then faded for a second as a slight twitch begun to form in the corner of his left eye, "Anytime, Krystal. Anytime."

Both Jacques and Krystal watching him curiously until he disappeared through the doors, noticing that he had formed a twitch in his eyes and had detected beads of sweats rolling down the sides of his head. They then looked back at Aun'shi questioningly.

"You should not blame him for detesting humanity," Aun'shi suggested, "He, like you, suffered at their very hands."

Jacques nodded, as he could not have helped but peer into his fragile mind and to find out why he had been uncomfortable in his presence besides being (formerly) Imperial. He agreed, "I know that for sure, Ethereal."

"All right," Alexander said, "Now, about this Site #2?"

"Last I heard Venom was the agreed spot for all Cornerian forces to run off to if they get their asses whipped," Katt explained.

"That confirms what our sensors have picked up," Aun'shi agreed, "A massive concentration of Cornerian military are on the planet. Heh…"

Aun'shi smiled slightly, something humorous springing up in his mind.

"…ironic is it not? Venom was the base planet of the so-called Venomian Empire, Corneria's archenemy. And now it's the secondary staging area of the Cornerian military."

"Yeah, funny. Look, If we're gonna recruit those eagerly awaiting troops we'll have to keep to the outer edges of Lylat away from the advancing Chaos fleets," Alexander explained, then said determinedly as he stood up, hands flat on the table, "Then we'll take the war against Chaos slowly and…."

He sighed and looked back down at the table.

"…hope that we live long enough to do some good."

"Yes," Jacques stated, "We can not allow them to leave this system, be it on our very lives we stop them here and now."

Falco was confused, so he asked, "Can't we just get the Imperium to come here and clean up their mess?"

"Most certainly not!" Aun'shi exclaimed, "Did you not just here Jacques say that if the Imperium gets wind of all this, they will destroy us all, including every single person here in the Lylat System. We have heard of Imperial/Lylat truce and we can only assume that they waiting for the perfect excuse to finally bring this system on it's knees."

"Alright, alright, Jeez!" Falco groaned, "I'm dumb, you're smart!"

Alexander frowned, 'Damn right, birdy.'

"What I had said, and what Aun'shi had confirmed, is all true," Jacques said, "We are on our own. But we will prevail…we MUST prevail if life is to continue on it's course. And that includes the trillions of innocent Lylatian and human lives who are yet to live out their existences."

Krystal looked at Jacques with much admiration. Despite being put through Hell by his own people, he was still willing to go to extreme lengths to protect the innocent, and not the ones who had tormented him, unless they themselves did not understand what they had been doing. And those lengths were always extreme, especially when it comes to his life. That was the definite thing she thought of him the way she did, as her spiritual brother and her protector.

Krystal knew that the chapter he had belonged to, the _**Ultramarines, **_were possibly the most noble branch of Space Marine ever to exist, seeing to it that the people of the Imperium, even if it would mean their own lives, survive. She deduced that was the reason why he wore the Omega symbol on his armour, as not to forget where he came from.

'Possibly the most noble Space Marine in all of existence. He will never stop as long as he draws breath,' she thought with a smile, blinking away tears as all this made her feel a bit bad inside, as she was starting to think of him as…

Her thoughts were immediately interrupted when the room intercom beeped.

"Yes, Control?" Aun'shi spoke, answering the call.

_Ethereal, we have a dire situation, _the Air Caste member from the other line reported, nearly panicked, _Imperial ships detected approaching the other side of the Lylat System. _

Alexander's eyes widened, "Huh?"

"What?" Aun'shi cried, "How?"

_Ten Imperial Navy ships and three Space Marine vessels are en-route. Possible destination is the planet Aquas, _the line continued, _The three Space Marine ships have been verified as two strike cruisers and one Marine Battle-Barge._

Jacques was shocked immensely, exclaiming, "Damnation! They have followed us here."

"How long until they arrive?" Aun'shi asked.

_The Border Defences will intercept them in approximately six hours, Ethereal._

"What a time for them to catch up!" Alexander growled, "Looks like things have just gotten complicated once again."

Falco eyes widened and he suppressed a cry of frustration, "Hey, isn't the Beltino Research Station near Aquas?"

"And that's where Slippy is!" Krystal exclaimed, alarmed, "He's in trouble!"

Jacques rubbed his forehead, as things became clear to him once again. The Imperium, who had always being pursuing the Children of Eden, had followed them here and were coming in from the other side of the system, where one of his closest friends Slippy would be in their path. They would capture him, imprison him, torture him and possibly kill him just to find out where the Children would be.

How could he be so careless? How could he let his personal feelings and desire to be reunited with his friends and Krystal override his judgement? Now he had possibly sped up Lylat's demise, with Chaos attacking from within and the Imperium striking from outside.

'No!' he thought determinedly, 'This was bound to happen eventually. It would only be a matter of time before the Imperium attacks Lylat. On my head be it if they start with Slippy, the amphibian Techpriest.'

And he was not going to let that happen, but that was also for what the other leaders had to decide on.

"Governor, Commander, Ethereal," Jacques addressed Alexander, O'Shovah and Aun'shi, "Innocent people are in danger from the Imperium, one of which is a close companion of mine. I elect we head down there and see if we can pull him and those around him out of the fire."

Aun'shi shook his head, "That is completely out of the question, Mortensen. O'Shovah?"

The renegade Fire Caste Commander crossed his arms, "Jacques is right, innocents are in danger. And besides, we can not allow the technology there to fall into Imperial hands. I elect that we head to Aquas and these people…and bring them into service for us and this campaign."

"Same here," Falco sounded off as he raised his left hand.

Katt followed suit, "Me too."

Krystal nodded, "Me three."

"Me four!"

All eyes immediately turned to the door, all eyes widened at what they saw standing there on his own too feet, with the bandage still around his bare chest and his pants on. A smile stretched across Krystal's face…

"FOX!"

…and she ran to him, embracing him suddenly. Jacques smiled and stepped over to him, alongside Falco and Katt. Fox hugged Krystal back and felt her lips against his, followed by a friendly pat on the shoulder by Falco.

"Guess a fridge handle through the chest and a hospital bed can't keep you down," Falco joked sharply, "Mr. Invincible."

"Thanks again, Falco," Fox smirked, then turned to Jacques, "Hey!"

Falco and Katt stood aside and allowed the Grey Knight to stand before Fox. He looked down at the vulpine, immediately alarmed at seeing that he had been seriously injured, and as to how he recovered from his near-life threatening chest wound in a small amount of time. He turned to O'Shovah, questioningly.

"Fear not, Mortensen," O'Shovah reassured him, "It would seem our own medical devices worked better on him than we thought."

Jacques nodded, where he turned back to Fox, seeing the smile on his face as the vulpine looked up at him, arms crossed.

"I like your armour, Jacques," Fox expressed surprisingly, "It suits you a lot."

Jacques smiled back, "Thank you, brother."

They then shook hands firmly, which the vulpine flinched slightly as it felt like his hand was being crushed by the Grey Knight's armoured hand. Jacques then let go and patted his shoulder, his smile fading as a dead serious look embedded itself on his face.

"Welcome back to the fight, Fox McCloud!" Jacques said with authority, "The Forces of Chaos will meet it's match in you and the Star Fox team in the trials to come."

Fox nodded appreciatively. He then turned to Aun'shi…

"We're going to Aquas, Councillor," he said firmly, "I'm not leaving Slippy to die by those xenophobes. And if we have to take on the entire Imperium itself and we die for it, so be it."

Aun'shi sighed in defeat, "Very well. It would seem I am defeated in this matter. We will head there immediately. The fastest and theoretically safest way will be to pass Solar, away from the advancing Chaos fleets."

Fox exhaled gently, "That sounds like a plan."

"This meeting is now over," O'Shovah announced, "We best be prepared. On the morrow, we will be in conflict once again. Aun'shi…"

He turned to the Ethereal, where he then sighed.

"I am afraid our trip back to T'au has been postponed for now."

Aun'shi frowned, "There is no point and logic in me complaining, since we will all die one way or another. But I pray that it is you that is speaking and not the forces which allegedly corrupted you."

O'Shovah shook his head, "Never."

Everyone else looked at the two questioningly, then Aun'shi turned to Jacques.

"Captain Mortensen?"

"It is just 'Mortensen', Ethereal," Jacques corrected, "I have not earned that rank through my years as a Space Marine. And I never shall..."

"Mortensen, then," Aun'shi interrupted, "I do hope your reputation would precede you."

Confused, Jacques asked, "Reputation?"

"They say you fight for a cause equal to that of the Greater Good," O'Shovah informed him, smiling, "That you fight not for yourself and for the ideals of your Imperium, but selflessly for the people around you. And if that is the case, you and _**your**_ people would be welcome among us. The path of the Tau'va…"

Hearing those words, and especially 'Greater Good,' Jacques responded quickly, "I choose my own destiny, Shas'O, and though our causes may be similar, if not equal in terms of ideals, me and my people walk our own paths."

Aun'shi nodded, understanding, "So do we all."

The Ethereal stood up from his seat.

"Somehow I feel I can trust you," Aun'shi continued, "Just like how a brother Ethereal trusted another Space Marines decades ago. Please…do not let it be misplaced."

Jacques nodded, "You have my word, Ethereal."

Falco watched Aun'shi as he walked out of the room, narrowing his eyes as he once again pondered about the Ethereal and the renegade Fire Caste Commander…

'What the hell is up with those two?' Falco thought, 'Better ask Katt. She knows something about these blueskins and what in God's name they really stand for.'

He then focused on O'Shovah as he left the room, narrowing his eyes at the red-armoured humanoid commander.

'Especially 'Commander Farsight'. Something about him causing that old bluey to breathe down his neck smells like stinkin' red herring.'

----------

"Alright…here we go, again. Ow!"

With his shoulder-armour off and exposing his skin to the air, Jakob gripped the mechanical injector firmly in his hands as he stuck the point into a vein on his arm. He gritted his teeth as he bared the substance he was administering into himself, slowly feeling the twitching in his eyes lessened slightly. He closed his eye shut as he thought of nice, pleasant things…whatever they might be.

'Calth, mum, dad,' he thought over and over deliriously, then he thought of two names, 'Mikki, John…'

_Solution administered, _the injector announced in a mechanical voice, _Vital signs normal. Time to next administration…ten hours, fifty-nine minutes and fifty-five seconds. Be in perfect health for the Greater Good, Shas'la Jakob._

With a frustrated cry he tossed the injector away from him and collapsed on his bed, the experiences of today and what he had just gone through having worn him out. He wrapped his arms around himself as he felt the substance he injected take effect on him, causing his eyes lids to become heavy and he felt himself grow tired. He allowed himself to drift into slumber, as he wanted to get away from the pressure that was real life and for this day to end.

But before his mind switched off and he fell into induced sleep…

"Mortensen," he said to himself, "Why did…_you_ have to be here?"


	12. Chapter 11: Dawn Of Humanity

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_Edits mades:_ Name of Imperial dropships – Changed to Shark Assault dropships.  
Inquisitorial seal on Stormtroopers' armour.  
Vincent Shultz's thoughts  
Name of Ultrmarines Battle-Barge

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Chapter 11 – Dawn Of Humanity

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_Know this, son of Guilliman. The father of our Chapter watches over us always. He knows your soul, your strengths and, aye, even your doubts. The chain of command must not be broken or we are nothing. Discipline and order are everything on the battlefield and the army lives by the credo will triumph._  
**- Marneus Augustus Calgar, Grand Master of the Ultramarines Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes**

The concussions and tremors caused by the orbital bombardments and artillery hitting the earth could be felt from deep below the ground in the large basement as a female human seethed and cried in both pain and exhaustion as she attempted to bring her baby into the world. She knew that any minute now they would come and take him away from her, and she was desperate to at least hold him and keep him away from them for as long as her weakened, dying form would allow her.

Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to keep consciousness, where she then felt a kleenex wipe the sweat of her forehead courtesy of a kind soul. She could not remember, and didn't even care, who did that, but grateful that he or she was there. She gradually recognised whom it was that was helping her with the birth of her son, and upon realising she still had her mind intact she felt somewhat at ease.

The female Tau midwife smiled reassuringly at the young brown-haired woman who was spread out on the hospital bed. With sweat rolling down face and collecting on her hospital gown, she was struggling to breath as she gripped hold of the hand of a nearby sympathetic human, who was dressed in Tau battle gear with a scoped lasgun slung over his shoulder.

The female Tau, who appeared to resemble more of a human woman except for the flat face and sans the nose, said soothingly, "Come on, baby. Just one more push and he shall come to existence."

"IT HURTS! GAHHHHHH!"

It was at that precise moment when a Tau Fire Warrior Shas'ui bursted into the room, panic on his face and holding a smoking plasma rife, startling everyone present in the basement. Another nursemaid, a chestnut haired middle-aged human woman, angrily stepped up to him, having distinctively remembered telling no one to come into the room during this 'time.'

"By the Ethereals, what is wrong with you?" she berated him.

The distressed Shas'ui shook his head and cried, "It is over! They have taken the fortress. All is…"

The newborn infant's shrill cry pierced through the air, silencing the Shas'ui as he looked over the nursemaid and saw the Tau midwife holding the newborn baby in her hands, practically beaming with joy as she handed him over to his mother. Despite severe exhaustion over a forty-hour labour, the mother smiled as she cradled her child in her arms, letting go of the smiling Gue'vesa hand. The look of fatality on the Tau Fire Warrior changed to a relieved smile upon seeing life born again.

His look was suddenly that of pain as a bolter round tore through the door, into his back and pierced his spine, where he chest blew out and the blood spurted on the nursemaid. Terrified, she could only step back and allow the door to be kicked open as a squad of four black-coloured **Deathwatch** Space Marines stepped into the room carrying boltguns, and each with the **Space Wolf **insignia on their right shoulder pads, signifying their Chapter of origin. One of the Marines, a Sergeant with his helmet off, beared his sharp, canine teeth in a growl, causing the midwife, nursemaid and Gue'vesa to step back, but stay near the weakened mother and child.

"Inquisitor Kryptmann," the Sergeant spoke into his com, "We have penetrated the basement of the fortress and have secured **Project: Avalon** and infant."

_Excellent, sergeant. I will done there shortly to requisition the infant personally, _the other line spoke, _Terminate everyone except mother and child._

"Yes, my lord."

The Sergeant raised his boltgun and shot the nursemaid in the head, splattering viscera all over the floor and onto the mother and child. She could nothing but hold onto her child and burst into tears once again as she watched him kill the midwife who helped deliver her child, followed by the Gue'vesa who comforted her, who was ripped in half as the Marine combined bolter fire tore through him.

The sergeant smiled as he blew the smoke away from his boltgun. He then turned towards the mother and stepped over to her, frowning down at her and holding his boltgun at her in a threatening matter. She glared up at him, holding the baby protectively. The Marine sergeant then eyed the infant and aimed his boltgun at him, causing her eyes to fly open and hold the infant tighter.

And all this time the baby still cried, which did nothing to turn the hearts of the Deathwatch. They heard light footsteps courtesy of leather boots followed by heavy, metallic footsteps of metallic boots as more Deathwatch accompanied him. The mother tried to keep her composure and her fear intact, knowing whom it was who came for her and her child, but more likely for her child as she no longer served her purpose.

Soon he came into light, **Inquisitor Kryptmann** of the **Ordo Xenos** – The Alien Hunters of the Inquisition. He himself was the leading exper in Tyranids, but has had other interests when it came to aliens. He was a short, middle-aged fair-haired man with his left eye replaced with an eyepiece apparatus and was adorned in Inquisitor-made Aesir Power Armour. His plasma pistol was in a holstered on his left leg which he wasn't compelled to use, seeing how all resistance on this pitiful, unclean colony world has been vanquished.

Accompanied by a red-haired young woman dressed in robes reserved for a **Priest** they stepped into the room, with two more Deathwatch Marines. The Imperials surrounded the bed where the mother and baby laid and looked down with vehemence at the mother, each believing her to be both a traitor and a damned woman in the eyes of the God-Emperor of Mankind.

Two Marines stepped outside to allow Kryptmann to stand by her side, and flash a rather devilish grin, especially at the infant, whom he was eager to wrest from his mother arms and fulfil the next phase of his inhuman, diabolical scheme.

He moved his face so that it was inches away from the mothers, who continued to glare at him, and he was still smiling.

"Perfection, milady," he said softly and evilly, "It is all going perfect."

----------

Outside the now desolate, ruined stone fortress on the fields outside laid the bodies of Tau Fire Warriors, **Kroot** and **Gue'vesa Militia**, the later equipped in Tau body armour and weapons, yet it wasn't enough to halt the **Inquisitorial Stormtroopers'** Hell lasers and Deathwatch Marines' bolter rounds. The stormtroopers were adorned in silver-coloured ceremite carapace armour over white BDU's with the Inquisitorial red 'I' insignia on theirs shoulder and steel helmets, and were patrolling around the fields, finishing off any wounded or dying Tau that remained.

A stormtrooper lit a cigarette and took a puff, exhaling smoke rings into the air as he privately celebrated his victory. He then flicked the match away and it landed in the fuel patch of a downed Crisis Suit, it's pilot still alive and barely breathing, only to begin to screaming when the suit was set ablaze, then exploded; scattering pieces of suit and body parts everywhere.

He then heard moaning come from in front of his feet, he looked down to see a Kroot Carnivore lying on his back and groaning in pain, his left leg missing and the bottom half of his right arms severed. The Kroot resembled a cross between an avian and a human, complete with vestigial beaks and what appeared to be feathers. He wore nothing except a yellow ammo belt around his waste and there appeared to be no reproductive organs present.

The Kroot looked wearily up at the stormtrooper who then smiled and cocked his hellgun, aiming it first at his crotch, before slowly raising it to his head.

"Time to die, dickless birdy."

"HEY! UP THERE!"

Another stormtrooper pointed upwards at the night sky, seeing what appeared to be a dozen small objects descending downwards from the atmosphere. The smoking stomtrooper reached for his binoculars and peered upwards, and upon seeing what it was the cigarette which had been dangling in his mouth dropped onto the ground as realised what was coming.

"Oh shit!" he exclaimed, "TAKE COVER! DROP PODS!"

Immediately the stormtroopers and Deathwatch scrambled for cover within as ultramarine-coloured drop pods made impact with the ground, just as the Kroot Carnivore drew his last breath and mercifully didn't feel a thing as a drop pod landed on top of him and crushed his corpse. The Inquisitorial troops evaded left and right as pods crashed all around them.

The cigarette-smoking stormtrooper picked himself up and dusted the entrails splattered on him as he had dove out of the way of a pod onto a Tau body with the torso blasted open and guts had rolled out. He looked very disturbed as wiped the blood off his face with back of his hand, ready to vent his anger out on the Space Marine emerging from a nearby pod.

"Oi!" he cried out loud, "The fuck are you metal lugheads doing?"

One bolt blast later his hellgun was sent flying from his hand and he cried out in fright as the Ultramarine emerged from the drop pod. His smoking boltgun was at the ready and bearing the seal of the 1st Company on his chest plate; which was the golden double headed eagle insignia of the Imperium, including the talons. The stormtrooper was stunned as he felt his now sore hand.

"We are taking over!" the Ultramarine announced with much hostility, "Inquisitorial lapdogs."

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"You can't do this," the mother cried desperately as she struggled, "You can't do this to me. He's mine…"

Her arms were pinned to the side by two Death Watch on either side of the bed, allowing the priestess to reach forward and ascertain the still bawling child, which she immediately begun to whisper words of comfort to the child, but failing to stall it's infant, newborn cries. Kryptmann continued to smile as this was done, the mother immediately crying out in terror.

"NO!"

"Come now, Lucille," Kryptmann said rather calmly, "We all know that baby is not really yours by all rights, but rather a product of the **Radicals **and the Emperor of Mankind himself. In fact, you should count your blessings…"

He then frowned as the priestess held the crying baby to herself.

"…that we have decided to let him live at all, knowing quite fondly what it took to bring him to reality. But be assured…"

He was now calm and smug.

"…that the **Registratum **will overlook those facts, and the **Schola Progenium **will accept him with open arms, and in time his potential will be put to good use, specifically in the eradication of the xenos threat….your weakling friends and associates."

He then turned to the priestess, whom was still trying to silence the baby with kind, reassuring words. Kryptmann crooked his hand towards himself and she immediately complied, handing the infant over to him. The mother known as Lucille watched in horror as Kryptmann held the naked baby by the arms, where immediately it stopped crying and found the Inquisitor to be looking into his eyes.

Kryptmann smiled, "In the name of the Inquisition - the Emperor's divine will, I christen you 'Jacques', and once everything comes to order you will be a living saint in the eyes of the God-Emperor of Mankind."

He then turned to Lucille and frowned.

"As for you, damned woman," he addressed her rather crudely and with much vehemence, as if condemning her…which he was, "By Inquisitorial edict of the Ordos Xeno I hereby declare you unclean."

The Deathwatch at opposite ends of her bed let go of her arms to draw their swords. She didn't fear death, rather she embraced it, knowing that she could no longer live with herself with them taking her child and using him to their wicked, twisted ends. The Deathwatch moved their blades to her neck, forming a scissor.

And he was still holding her child, and smiling.

"Goodbye, Lucille Mortensen – Project Avalon. Despite all misgivings and complications, this was all a complete success."

"INQUISITOR! WAHHH…!"

Suddenly the door was smashed right open as a stormtrooper was hurled screaming right through and landed at the end of the bed. The two Deathwatch withdrew their blades to face this new threat, while the other remaining Deathwatch aimed their boltguns at the door, ready to face whatever threat was about to walk through that door into the basement. Kryptmann drew his plasma pistol and aimed it with one hand at the door, holding baby 'Jacques' in his other arm.

He narrowed his eyes, knowing who was coming for him.

"Calgar."

Sure enough the grey-haired **Lord Macragge** of **Ultramar** Calgar emerged from the doorway, all nine-feet of his power-armoured form with the Omega symbol on his chest plate, accompanied by two 1st Company Ultramarines. His attention was immediately drawn to the child in Kryptmann's arms, then to the Deathwatch holding Lucille hostage. His clinched his massive fists, known as the **Gauntlets of Ultramar**, and glared down at Kryptmann, then over to the Deathwatch, who each impulsively lowered their boltguns upon being given the mean look by a Chapter-Master.

"Kryptmann," he begun, "You and the Radicals should be ashamed of yourselves. Prying a newborn away from his mother, I figured the Inquisition were always moralistic."

The Inquisitor shook his head and lowered his plasma pistol, "You are too late, Space Marine. Project: Avalon has just been concluded and I hold in my arm her results. This is the Emperor's will made manifest in this tiny form."

Calgar crossed his arms, "I wish not to destroy the child, Inquisitor. Rather to protect him from whatever designs the Ordo Xenos and the Radicals have in store for him. You have gone too far this time, Kryptmann."

Kryptmann was now angry with the Lord Macragge, and it was evident with his seething face, "You dare defy and tarnish the Emperor's Holy will, Ultramarine?"

The baby then began to cry again.

"_His_ will has already been tarnished through your project!" Calgar exclaimed, "You have risked contaminating humanity over these barbaric proceedings these last nine months! The Inquisition has now truly gone mad!"

Kryptmann raised his plasma pistol and aimed it upward at Calgar's face, his Deathwatch immediately raising their weapons at the Ultramarine, who in turn readied their weapons. The baby still cried and the mother watched on weakly.

"You aim your weapon at your fellow Imperial's face?" Calgar demanded, "I was mistaken. It is _you_ has truly gone mad, Inquisitor. You and your perversion of humility and ethics that have come forth from your so-called project."

"Alien scum dare to threatens humanity, where it's survival depends on the preparation and adulthood of this infant," Kryptmann continued, "And unless you let us carry on with our grand task, we will be forced to take drastic action against your chapter."

Calgar smiled, "So will we. I'm sure the **Administratum** would love to know what you have been up to behind the Lords of Terra's backsides, Inquisitor."

Kryptmann's eyes widened as he voice then become soft, "What?"

"You heard me. I am sure that you would not have bothered informing the Imperial High Command of your grand task at the risk of them intervening and putting an end to your tampering of human nature, Kryptmann."

The Inquisitor smirked, just as the Deathwatch looked at one another as if feeling uncomfortable, "What proof do you have of any possible heresy, Calgar?"

Calgar mirrored the smirk, "All of it, Inquisitor. The Ultramarines have been around since the beginning of this whole affair, along with the Tau. We have everything recorded and shelved in our Librarium, and some suspicious Administratum and **Ecclesiarchy** officials are just dying to confirm their fears."

Kryptmann wanted to curse out loud, and especially at the Emperor for even creating the Space Marines in the first place. He knew his operations were unsanctioned by the Administratum, and the Ecclesiarchy, the church of the God-Emperor, would deem him as a heretic for going against everything the Imperium stood for when he and the Ordos Xenos started Project: Avalon.

"You wouldn't dare!" Kryptmann exclaimed.

"We would."

He closed his eyes tightly and grumbled, "What would it take to keep a lid on this whole 'travesty?'"

Calgar looked over at Lucille, who stared back into his right non-mechanical eye weakly. She smiled lightly and nodded with many acceptances, praying for this moment for so long. Calgar nodded back, returned the smile reassuringly, and sighed gently.

"The child, Kryptmann"

The Deathwatch all tightened the fingers on their triggers, even the stormtrooper who had been guarding the entrance to the basement and was sent flying down the stairs and into the room picked himself up and grabbed the lasgun from the fallen Gue'vesa and aimed it at the Lord Macragge. In response, Calgar's two escorts raised their boltguns as well.

"Do you seriously think I will turn him over to you, Lord Macragge?" Kryptmann responded harshly, "The sole prize of Avalon?"

"Do you seriously think you would survive a week upon being branded a heretic, Inquisitor?" Calgar countered.

As if understanding the human language at birth, the baby stopped crying and Kryptmann looked down at him and his vulpine green eyes as he still held him in his arms. He growled silently, knowing that both his project and his life were at stack. And knowing how influential the Lord Macragge Calgar was among the Administratum, his death by burning or being worn away on a Penitent Engine begging for redemption was assured

He turned to the priestess and handled over the baby, who passed it over to one of the Space Marine, whom handled the now calm infant delicately in his hands. Kryptmann was no doubt fuming, only expressing it through his next sentence.

"Mark my words, Space Marine," he threatened as he pointed his finger at the infant, "Some day I will have that baby. And when I do, I will make you, the Ultramarines, and every single xenos in this galaxy pay for your insolence."

Calgar kept the smile forming on his face, his arms still crossed, "You will not. We would have just saved the Imperium by keeping **David** from your grasp."

Kryptmann felt his anger increase tenfold, especially upon hearing what the baby would have been called. He raised his plasma pistol up at Calgar again, grinding his teeth together as he was consumed with rage. Years of secret planning and covering up the Ordo Xenos' activities were crashing down around his feet.

"For now Calgar, I must have SATISFACTION…"

He turned his pistol away from Calgar's face and aimed it at the bed, and Lucille Mortensen. Before Calgar could react, Kryptmann pulled the trigger and sent a blast of plasma hurtling at the mother, where it pierced through her chest, followed by the bed. She was too weak to move out the way, let alone scream. She just closed her eyes and drew her last breath, shedding tears as she tragically passed away from this life.

Everyone in the room save for the Inquisitor was in shock, seeing a mother die like that by Kryptmann's hands. Calgar's mouth was agape in shock upon seeing all this, if he could he would have shed a tear. Kryptmann smiled and signalled for his men to follow him, where they stepped past the Ultramarines and made their way up the basement stairs towards the surface.

But before Kryptmann left, still holding his smoking pistol, he said to the still devastated Grand Master as he stared at the bed and the corpse that laid on it, "And you Ultramarines swore to protect the innocent."

He then grinned and whispered tauntingly.

"Pathetic."

Calgar clinched his hand as Kryptmann disappeared and closed his eyes as he felt shame. Of his centuries of service to Imperium and the Emperor of Mankind, he had never met a person made of much cruelty and malice than Inquisitor Kryptmann. It was that at that moment that he swore vengeance against him for harming the innocent, and will ultimately make him pay for his crimes against this innocent woman and her child.

The baby's cries brought him back to reality as the Marine holding the infant addressed him.

"What should we do about lady Mortensen?"

Calgar turned to him and responded, "We will take her with us back to **Ultramar**, and give her a proper burial."

"What of the infant?" the other Marine asked, "Shall we send him to one of the secured orphanages?

The Grand Master shook his head and took the infant from the Marine who handed it to him, holding the newborn in the palm of his large, right hand. He studied him carefully, and especially his emerald green eyes.

"We shall send him some place safe," Calgar answered just as too medical Marines known **Apothecaries** stepped into the basement and tended to the body of Lucille, "Some place that will preserve him for the time being, both physically, emotionally and spiritually."

He then smiled down at the baby in spite of himself, hearing the zip of a body bag as Lucille was sealed in it, shutting off her physical form from the material universe forever.

"It is the least we can do, for an old friend."

----------

**39 Years Later**

**The Battle Barge 'Emperor Incarnatus', Ultramarines Chapter of the Space Marines**

Out of his highly decorated armour and with his arms stretched out on either side, Calgar laid naked strapped on a table, several wires and tubes connected to him as he endured his monthly medical checkup courtesy of the **Battle-Barge's** **Apothecarion.** Despite hundreds of years of life his body was still in the best shape and not exactly as exaggerated as his massive armour suggested, him still being over nine feet and a massively muscled form. He looked as if he was deep in thought as he stared up at the light shining down on him as Apothecaries tended to his examination.

He could not stop thinking about that fateful day and how he had made yet another powerful enemy, just for saving a newborn child from a life of probable slavery under the Inquisition. The same baby he and his brothers were now out to destroy, only that he was now a full-grown man exhibiting his most potent strengths and power, and possibly one of the greatest, most courageous yet complicated Space Marines to ever serve under the flag of Ultramar.

"Lord Macragge?" an Apothecary asked him, walking over to his side, "You seem troubled."

Calgar moved his eyes towards the Apothecary and responded, "It is nothing, brother. Continue with the tests."

"As you wish, my Lord."

A minute later the examination was done and the Lord Macragge was unstrapped from the table, and not feeling anything from the tests he nonchalantly stepped over towards his armour, several bio-mechanical **Servitors** waiting to help him put it on. They immediately went to work, applying the several pieces of his armour to him quickly and efficiently. Another two minutes went by, and he proudly stepped out of the Apothecarion, where a **Chaplain **and several stairs downwards leading to a hub/lobby area immediately greeted him.

"My Lord Macragge," the skull-shaped helmeted religious instructor adorned in very ancient dark-coloured power-armour greeted, "I have need to speak with you."

"Of course, **Cassius**," Calgar replied with smile, "Walk with me."

As they traversed down the stairs, the Chaplain known as Cassius said, "There is dissension spreading amongst our Battle-Brothers, my Lord. They have doubts about the upcoming mission in Lylat and of our target, Brother Mortensen."

Calgar looked surprised, "Doubts?"

"Permit me to say this, my Lord," the Chaplain continued, "They see it as madness to strike down the man who had saved Holy Terra and the Emperor barely a year ago, just because he would not conform to the Imperium's standards. Even I…"

He shook his head gently.

"…do not see any logic in purging him and recovering his gene-seed. He has given so much and asked little in return."

Their metallic feet touched the end of the steps when Calgar responded, "I feel the same way as you and our brothers. But we all know that he had signed away his life the minute he allied with the Ulthwe Craftworld in the Medusa System and our laws dictate he is a traitor who must be dealt with in the same matter as any other heretic."

He then stopped and looked up at the richly decorated ceiling depicting the Ultramarines' long, celebrated history in the service of humanity. It ranged from the final battle on Terra during the Horus Heresy to the Ultramarines' half-victory on Lorn V, where even though a decade ago the Titan Dominatus had been destroyed and **Chaplain Varnus, **had tragically lost his life. It was at least the Forces of Disorder, specifically that of Chaos and the **Blood Legion of Khorne**, did not get their prize.

Cassius noted that Calgar was now distracted with looking up at the ceiling. He exhaled slightly and got his attention again.

"Lord Macragge," **the Master of Sanctity** asked, "I dare ask: Do you have any second thoughts on the matter? Because if you do, now would be the time to alert me and the Chief Librarian."

Calgar looked back down at him and said while frowning, "Do you not think I do have second thoughts, Chaplain? I would want nothing more in this universe than to act on them. But as I said, and it is written in the Codex Astartes, that all heretics must be purged to ensure the stability of the Emperor's realm. Now…anything else?"

"Yes. How should I inform our brothers of your decision to follow through with our original orders?"

"How you have always preached to them. Do not think of this as any different from any of our other campaigns against the enemies of the Emperor."

Cassius bowed his head and responded, "Yes, my Lord."

The Chaplain then took his leave, leaving Calgar standing there in the lobby. After a few seconds delay as he pondered his thoughts, he turned and headed towards the Battle Barge's Librarium, which was located down another hallway. He knew that the **Chief Librarian Tigurius** would present there, reviewing the chapter's history and the events leading to their possible final purge of Lylat through getting to the Children of Eden.

Sure enough he was surprised to find Tigurius waiting for him as he stepped into the Librarium, where all the Neophytes that usually hung around the area were gone. The massive door closed automatically behind him as Calgar faced the hundreds-years old Librarian with what appeared to be strange etchings on his face, yet he appeared as if he was in his forties.

"You know why I have come, Librarian?" Calgar asked.

"No, my Lord Macragge," Tigerius responded respectfully, "As you know, I refrain from reading the mind of my Grand Master out of the respect for his years of leading our chapter to glory. But I must confess…"

His face was rather sullen.

"…I can only guess why you have come."

Calgar nodded, then asked, "Do you still have it in the archives?"

"I do, Lord Macragge. I personally saw to it's reference those two decades earlier," Tigerius explained as he led Calgar through the massive maze of what appeared to be large bookcases with large, heavy books and texts, "And I have made sure to maintain it's purity ever since."

"You really should leave that to the Techmarines, Brother-Librarian," Calgar noted, "Or our aspiring Neophytes. They could use the experience in maintaining a blade."

"Ah," Tigerius looked over his shoulder, "But the Techmarines do not see the significance of this sacred sword, believing it to be like any other blade wielded by the Angels of Death. And the Neophytes are yet to understand it's history. So I have taken it upon myself…"

They stood before what resembled a large vault, both men looked at it with the utmost unshaken defiance.

"…to personally see that it remains as unblemished the day it was placed in the sacred Librarium," Tigerius finished.

"Strong words, Tigerius," Calgar observed, "I wish to handle it. To know whom we will be truly facing."

"And whom may that be?" Tigerius asked as he imputed the sacred code into the vault through the keypad next to the door, already knowing he was going to say without having to read his mind.

The door slowly opened upwards and a bright light shone from what laid beyond the door. Calgar and Tigerius didn't flinch from the light shining on their eyes as they stepped forward into the vault. What greeted them was a artifact of great significance and a reminder of what the Ultramarines really stood for.

"**The Blade of Eden**, Lord Macragge," Tigerius reminded him, "Will always have a place here."

Atop a golden pedestal decorated with the Omega symbol over the double-headed eagle of the Imperium of Man was a silver longsword with a hilt made from pure gold. Though it was unpowered at the moment, one could see that it could slice through anything the blade dared to touch, whether it would be the hull of a Predator Annihilator Tank or the soft flesh of a mad Cultist.

Calgar looked over the blade silently, as if paying respects. Tigerious stepped towards it and waved a hand over it, before he faced the Chapter-Master with a grim look of futility.

"Whom do we face, Lord Macragge?" Tigerius asked, "Whom it is that will suffer the Emperor's righteous judgement?"

Calgar narrowed his eyes and responded, no feeling evident in his voice now as he feel faith and determination grab hold of him and not let go. He reached forward and grasped the sword in his large hands.

"Our brother, Jacques Mortensen."

The Lord Macragge's communicator buzzed and he was quick to answer it.

"Orbital control?"

_Lord Macragge, _control begun, _We have being hailed by the __**Pacifier **__and __**Fleet Admiral Nero.**__ He informs us that we are just nearing the Lylatian border and the air defence zone._

"Thank you, control," Calgar responded, then haughtily added, "We shall be up there momentarily."

Affirmative, Brother.

----------

**Welcome to the Imperium Administratum Records and Database**

**Any unauthorised access will be punished immediately by Cleansing Flame, by order of the Holy Inquisition.**

Accessing Administratum Files…

Login: **Sturnn  
**Serial Number: **C3453-G35363**  
Password:

Limited access granted.

Search Query: **Children of Eden**

Searching…

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….

….

….

Query found…accessing

**Children of Eden**

Deemed heretical by the Radical Inquisitor Kryptmann following the destruction of the planet Eden during **Operation: Xeno**. These are believed to be remainder of the planet's traitorous xenos influenced **Planetary Defence Force** (PDF) and the few children having managed to escape from the cleansing flame of the Imperial Holy Fleet and the Inquisition's merciful recovering.

  
Commanding a fleet of six Imperial-produced ships, having requisitioned them possibly from the traitorous **Cadian 301****st**** Regiment** whom they are suspected to have ties with. They travel the sector hopelessly lost on their own false, misguided crusade, fighting off our attempts to redeem them in the eyes of humanity and the Emperor.

It is believed they have been joined by the equally traitorous General **Lukas Alexande**r, former **Governor-Militant** of the planet **Kronus**, and the remainder of his planetary guard, known as **the 1****st**** Kronus Regiment** – The Kronus Liberators. This no doubt has increased their strength and leadership as a self-sustaining military force.

Consider the men, women and children of the last survivors of the heretical xenos world Eden, a product of Chaos social experimentation, tainted and incredibly dangerous. All standing Imperial forces in the sector are encouraged to destroy them on sight. Strictly no quarter must be given.

Having just awoken from his sleep and dressed in his underclothes, General Sturnn studied the words imprinted on his terminal screen carefully, sitting back in his cushioned seat, a glass of red wine situated next to his keyboard. The light emitting from the stairs shone into his quarters from the window, illuminating the whole room as he had not bothered to turn the lights on. Ever since he was young he somehow found the darkness very soothing, and always concentrated his hardest when the purity and silence of the dark bathed him.

He exhaled loudly through his nose when he thought about how that came to be; when his tutors at the Schola Progenium would lock him in a dark room when he would make mistakes during his studies for hours at a time. They would order him to think about his mistakes and to act on improving them. And having been inducted into the program at age six, he made a lot mistakes for his age, but he eventually redeemed himself.

Sturnn returned back to reality when he went back to his browsing, doing some last minute research on the enemy he was about to face in a matter of hours. Though he had been briefed on the enemy by the Imperial authorities on the planet Kew, he always believed to keep his mind on the query at all times. A single second that goes without thinking about your objective equals to a lifetime of regret afterwards.

That was what he was taught.

"Operation: Xenos," Sturnn said softly to himself.

**Operation: Xenos**

Carried out twenty-three year earlier by the forces of the Ordo Xenos with last minute assistance by the Ultramarines chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, this was the cleansing rituals of the planet Eden, which had been declared damned by the Radical Inquisitor Kryptmann. Under the command of the Ordo Malleus Inquisitor Mordecai Toth, having personally volunteered to undertake the operation, Deathwatch Space Marines and Inquisitorial Stormtroopers stormed the planet and carried out the operation through four phases.

Phase #1 – Pacify Resistance. The planetary defences composed of traitor Guardsmen, Tau Fire Warriors, Kroot Carnivores and Eldar witches supported by armoured ground weapons; were overwhelmed and destroyed completely, having been weakened through orbital strikes. Though providing admirable resistance, no quarter was granted and the commanders of the defence were immediately executed upon apprehension.

Phase #2 – Redeem the Current Generation. Most human Eden dwellers over eighteen years of age were made to redeem themselves in the eyes of the Emperor through voluntarily taking their own lives or submitting themselves to Arco Flagellation and Penitent Engineering, while the others were put down through force. The alien population was all cleansed through bolter fire and flame courtesy of the Deathwatch.

Phase #3 – Recover the Next Generation. Most minors under eighteen years of age that were not accidentally caught in the events surrounding Phase #2 were rounded up by the stormtroopers and were persuaded to board transports that took them off world to the safety of the Holy Fleet. The Ultramarines under the personal command of Grand Master Calgar assisted during this delicate phase. All alien minors were purged.

Phase #4 – Cleanse Eden. Finally the plant was virus bombed to eradicate all traces of life and vegetation, before being destroyed through Exterminatus carried out by the entire Inquisitorial fleet.

Aftermath

The planet was successfully cleansed by the Emperor's holy whirlwind of flame, exterminating every last alien scum and settlement on it's admiringly beautiful surface, which can be considered a fair sacrifice. Whilst all the human adults atoned for their heresy through their deaths, most if not all the children made their exodus courtesy of the loving Inquisitorial hands. Right away these children were convinced to forget their parents' heresy and the unclean lives they had lived; where given new identities and sent away under the supervision of the Schola Progenium. Later they would be called upon to devote the rest of their lives to the service of the Imperium and the God-Emperor of Mankind.

Once child case, however, has caused major concern, which is that of **Jacques Mortensen**, former Sergeant of the Ultramarines Second Company of the Adeptus Astartes, former Grey Knight of the Ordo Malleus and now one of the Inquisitions most wanted men in the sector. It is believed he has now joined with the Children of Eden and serves as their spokesman, if not their leader alongside General Lukas Alexander.

Session Timed Out…

Logging off…

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**Shutting down.**

The terminal screen immediately turned itself off, followed by the terminal itself as it automatically shut off, following Admin protocol. Despite the fact this knowledge did not affect him in any way the first time he had read through, he could not help but feel sympathy for the possibly innocent people that he had just read die all those years ago. The fact that their deaths were being over-empathised and sugar-coated disturbed the General, knowing that to the Inquisition only death was seen as the true form of redemption for heretics.

"Chaos social experiments?" Sturnn questioned lightly to himself, "That doesn't sound right."

He knew that could not be truth and immediately reasoned to himself that there were darker designs behind it. But he knew that if he dared tried to investigate the matter he would find himself tied to a post in the middle of a busy marketplace and burnt alive as a traitor. Besides, he had a reputation to recover following his massive blunder years ago back on Lorn V.

Sturnn's bedside communicator buzzed, so he regained his composure and stepped over to it. He hesitantly answered it, knowing he was possibly about to endure one of the most overbearing Imperial Navy officers the Imperium has ever produced.

Fleet Admiral Horatio Nero, the supreme commander of the fleet sent to Lylat.

"Sturnn."

Thank the Emperor you have finally dragged your lazy, worthless, heretical backside out of your warm, cosy bed, General, the other line blurted in a rather exaggerated classic American accent, The fleet is nearing the furry sector and I'm a little concerned you are going to miss all our glorious storming of Lylat's puny defences.

"Not likely, bastard," Sturnn muttered to himself, before speaking, "I will be right up to join your command immediately, Admiral."

See that you do, General, Nero said, And by the way: Kkeep your Commissar outside the bridge door and on a leash, I don't want him scaring the command crew.

"Yes, sure," Sturnn responded, slightly heated, "Sturnn out."

He switched off his communicator and sighed, before he clapped his hands together and the lights to his room switched on, revealing his rather elaborate quarters decorated with expensive carpet and furniture including a sofa and a fireplace, complete with mini-bar and a bathroom with shower and spa.

This also included the rather large wardrobe with enough military uniforms to adorn a parade of high-ranking officers and personnel. He stepped over to it and picked out his usual, trademark dress – a grey uniform with his medals and honours decorated on the chest with his red-coloured, gold-trimmed victory sash as well as grey pants; with a red-coloured cape or honour raiment. He then put on his leather boots.

He then looked at himself in the mirror and found that something was missing. He frowned and then walked over to a dresser near his bed, where he opened the draw and found his weapons of choice: The Lightning Claws, one of which with a built in Storm Bolter. He smiled and put them on himself, loading his bolter and hearing the ammo click into place.

Feeling satisfied about his choice of dress, he stepped towards the doorway leading into the hallway which led into the other officer's quarters. He was greeted by the sight of Commissar Rowan Plymouth, fully dressed as well with his sabre sword in it's sheath and his laspistol in it's holster, where he stood there with diligently.

Sturnn smiled and jokingly, "Do you always wait for your commanding officers outside their own doors, Commissar?"

"I call it 'being on the watch,' General," Plymouth repeated, removing his helmet to reveal his short haircut and his scarred face. Also his grey colourless eyes which has seen and felt the heat of battle too many times, "And I assure you I will never stop doing that for as long as I live."

"Amen to that, Commissar."

Sturnn stepped into the hallway to find the officers in his commander in the same hallway standing outside their room doors. They all stood to attention as the General's door closed, with Plymouth standing aside and announcing out loud.

"SALUTE THE GENERAL!"

The officers did so, the swooshing of their hands being held as they raised them to their foreheads. They kept the salute going as the General stepped down the hallway accompanied by Plymouth towards the elevator, which would take them up to the bridge. As he walked he noticed the grim yet determined faces of his officers as they paid respect to him, each one having not lost their faith in him even after Lorn V.

Truly to Sturnn, the Cadian 412th was like his own extended family. Plymouth shared the same thoughts as he walked with the General, only that he saw himself as a sort of overseer to these unruly children, excluding Sturnn, his closest confidant.

----------

ALERT! ALERT! IMPERIAL STARSHIPS DETECTED! 

The defence station's commander, a black bear, shot up from his bed as the PA screamed through every passage, every nook and cranny of the station, the bright red lights from the alarms bathing every room on board. Having just had the most pleasant dream he could possibly ever have, he was shocked to have 'I' word wake him up with a start.

Commander Daytona, you're presence is required in the command centre. 

Daytona sucked back the feelings of nausea and panic as he threw his bed blankets aside and dove for his uniform on the floor, having being flung their the previous day following the celebrations of Victory Day. He pulled up his pants and struggled to button his uniform as he walked quickly over to his door and banged on the panel next to it, almost breaking it in the process.

Literal chaos was present in the personnel quarters as the technicians and staff from the previous watch hurried to their posts, the fear and panic spreading like wildfire amongst them as they struggled and pushed amongst themselves, some of which were half-dressed but fully awake. The experienced, middle-aged commander of the station didn't let his senses get fazed by all the negativity present as he struggled past them towards the command post

The alarms continued to blare everywhere, which bathed the control room in red as technicians headed for their stations, constantly being reminded that Imperial ships were half a light-year away. Panic and dissension was evident on each and every one of their faces, believing that Lylat's Apocalypse has now arrived, in the form of Chaos attacking from within and the Imperium coming from outside.

In short, humanity has come to wipe from out from the face of the universe. Daytona stepped into the command centre and was immediately greeted by shaky salutes courtesy of the crew. He saluted back and was quick to impost his authority once again.

"Alright, everyone present?" Commander Daytona asked loudly, before exclaiming, "Good! Status report!"

A vanilla-coloured female mink was behind the radar controls. She saw with her own two eyes on the grid about thirteen large starships approaching the Lylatian border, each one registering as Imperial craft.

"An Imperial fleet is heading straight for us, sir!" the mink responded.

"How many?"

"Thirteen, sir."

Fatalistic murmuring and cries sounded off all around command, which Daytona was quick to silence with a heavy, authoritative cry.

"Alright! Charge the Heavy Cannons and aim at the closest Imperial hulk."

The raccoon gunner behind his terminal imputed the commands on his terminal and gripped the joystick controlling the station's twin heavy charge laser cannons situated both on the top and the bottom of the circular-looking station. His heart was pounding; he perspired, the sweat run down his head and into his eyes as he faced his screen, which displayed the targeting cross and the space outside the border, waiting for the first ship to move into eyeshot.

The day before he had just turned 30, his wife back on Fortuna had given birth to his second child, and his death was now assured.

"Gunner Madison? Status!" Daytona shouted.

Madison looked over his shoulder towards the commander and shook his head, where one can barely hear him as he reported, "Nothing yet, sir."

"HEY! Keep your eyes on the screen, dickhead!" another technician, a purple frill-necked lizard, screamed out with panic from his terminal, "Those godless skinned monkeys could appear at any damn time!"

Daytona glared at him to silence, before turning towards the mink at the radar control, "Are the humans coming any closer, radar?"

"No sir," the minx responded, still looking at the screen and seeing that the fleet was holding it's ground just outside the border, miles ahead from the station, "They're still outside our cannon's range."

"Damn it," Daytona cursed softly, before saying out loud and reassuringly, "Alright everybody calm down. If they are out of range, there's no doubt their weapons won't be able to touch us as well, despite their high-and-mighty holy lance cannons and torpedoes. Maybe they'll ask us to surrender."

"What if they do, sir?" another technician, a red fox, asked.

"We turn em' down," Daytona responded firmly, "We've sworn to keep the humans out of our galaxy and that's what we're gonna do. Worst case scenario: They board this station and try to stick us with their bayonets. Heh, I say at least we go down like soldiers and not like friggin' bridge bunnies. No offence, Richards, Reeds."

Two rabbits, a male and a female, laughed a bit and the male said, "None taken."

The red fox glared and stood up, pulling out his blaster and charging it, "And if that happens sir, we'll give them Hell. I'm sure purebred human's skulls is not as thick as the Marine's brain boxes."

"Either which way, ladies and gentlemen." the commander said softly and sadly, taking off his hat and holding it to his chest and closed his eyes, ears drooped down, "This station gonna burn and we're gonna die, but at least we do it in style."

----------

All was quiet on the bridge of the Pacifier as the crew went about their business in keeping the ship running, the craft's **Astropath** psyker all wired up to the navigational equipment and keeping the fleet beacon active. The psyker was a sad looking creature, he was all frail and destitute from years tapped into the Warp, risking daemonic possession at every turn. He had long since lost his sight, evident from the large helmet he wore which covered his eyes, and was dressed in a rather miserable robe. Ever since the infamous **Black Ships** of the Inquisition had taken him, he had longed for the peace and stillness that was death, but he knew it wouldn't come easily for someone of his abilities.

Admiral Nero smiled him and Sturnn watching out the main window, the main computer screen beside it informing visually that the station was moving it's larger guns towards the fleet, but seeing as they were out of their range, they had nothing to worry about. But Sturnn didn't see it that way.

"I know what you're thinking, Admiral," Sturnn pointed out, "And when I said 'furry hunt', and I meant 'up close and personal' and not vaporising them half a light year out of their system.'"

Nero frowned, "May I remind you that his is my fleet, General. You, the Commissar and your troops are just along for the ride, and once your feet touch the ground you're out of my league. The Ultramarines aren't my concern. Now…"

He smiled again.

"Witness the true might of the Emperor's Holy Fleet and his wrath against his enemies. Admiral to gunnery stations…"

_Yes, sir! _the communication com link responded.

"Launch two Cyclones at the defence station. Destroy it!"

Right away, sir. Firing…

The Emperor-class starship loudly launched two massive cyclone missiles towards the Lylatian border, where they hurtled across the blackness of space towards the defence station. Sturnn looked on grimly, somewhat dissatisfied with not valiantly storming the defences in person, while Nero still had that weird on his face, which disturbed the General.

In the border defence station the alarms blared even louder as all eyes were fixated on the main screen, the master computer's P.A announcing that…

_Warning! Incoming Imperial missiles approaching station! Brace for impact!_

All hands grabbed hold of their terminals, door handles and their bolted-down seats as they did what the computer told them. In a panic the gunner quickly aimed the main cannons towards the approaching missiles and pressed the fire buttons his joystick hard, where the whole station vibrated as the cannons powered up and were made ready to fire. The commander's head looked up upon feeling the station vibrate, and could somehow sense the cannons and the energy they were about to unleash.

"NO, YOU IDIOT!" he exclaimed in panic, "DON'T FIRE THE MAIN CA…"

Too late, the cannons fired two blasts of red-coloured heavy laser, which traversed in a straight line at the torpedoes before vanquishing them and lighting up the air-less vacuum of space. From the bridge of the Pacifier Nero smiled, having anticipated that desperate move by the furries, while Sturnn nodded gently.

"I'm impressed," Sturnn said, rather truthfully.

"What? The furries' desperation in using their charged main weapons against measly projectiles? Or the cunningness that runs in my family through generations tending to the Emperor's holy navy?"

Sturnn frowned, "Mostly number one now."

Nero exhaled through his nose as he frowned, before opening the com to the entire fleet, "All ships. Move forward into Lylat, full speed."

The ten Imperial Navy starships accelerated forward towards the border of Lylat, the thousands of Guardsmen feeling their trigger/blade-fingers itch with each passing second with now skinning a furry and taking their fur back home as a souvenir. Unlike fighting other aliens such as Orks or Eldar, most Guardsmen were keen on taking on the furries, believing rumours of their military to be weak, or in the words of an Imperial Commander, 'half-arsed.'

The space-faring monastery of the Ultramarines known as the Battle Barge and her two supporting Strike Cruisers followed close behind, though not going the same speed as the Guard controlled Imperial ships. Calgar watched the main screen nearly sadly, from his chamber as the ships carrying their Imperial Guard counterparts drew themselves further away from the Space Marine craft. He shook his head gently and muttered incoherently under his breath.

"There is no honour in this," he uttered, "Against a system this size, against a collection of races that have helped us in the past despite the 'handicap' of being alien, I just see no honour in all this."

He sighed.

"Perhaps there is logic within Jacques' beliefs after all."

He had forgotten that Cassius was standing beside his throne, his helmet off to reveal a middle-aged grey-haired man with technological implants all over his face and on his neck. The Chaplain looked over at him and their eyes made contact.

He nodded in agreement, "I believe so as well, Lord Macragge."

----------

The Imperial Fleet pushed forwards towards the border, with the mighty Emperor-class battleship known as the Pacifier in the lead. Following behind it and making up the fleet of eleven ships were two Imperial cruisers (Mars-class and Mars-class), one Avenger, one Exodus, one Vengeance, one Dauntless and 3 Firestorm frigates. The Space Marines ships that counted towards the fleet were two Strike Cruisers and the massive floating Space Marine monastery known as the Battle-Barge – The **Emperor Incarnatus. **Each ship ran on a **plasma drive **engine, which took up a third of the ship's length, commonly in the aft section, which consisted of drive tubes, engine compartments and the plasma reactors.

And each ship carried enough weapons ranging from normal laser batteries to lance cannons and torpedo launchers to devastate an entire star system

Just as the heavy cannons on the defence station desperately charged up to fire again, the Pacifier readied it's powerful _**Nova Cannons, **_huge weapons situated on the prow of the hull. Once the Pacifier was not far from the station it fired the deadly projectile which hurtled across space and towards the Lylat defence station.

All those on board didn't know what hit them as the shell imploded once it made contact, shattering the station and everybody on it into splinters of both metal and flesh. The resulting explosion then wiped them off the interstellar map forever, sending souls screaming to whatever nirvana or hell that Lylatians believed in.

Smug, Nero exclaimed, "Now that's done with, Lylat will soon tremble before the might of the Imperial Navy! All ships…CONTINUE FORWARD!"

Not wanting to spend another second standing beside the lout of a admiral, Sturnn excused himself from the bridge and stepped outside, Nero not noticing he was gone. Sturnn muttered curses under his breath, disappointed with not being able to capture the station personally and beside his loyal Guardsmen. Sturnn has always had a fractious relationship with the Imperial Navy, berating them for pounding the hell out of battle zone, which could easily be captured with about a thousand troops. To him there was more honour in looking your enemy in the face as you kill him, not by sitting in a comfortable chair thousands of miles above in orbit and ordering a full planetary bombardment.

The fleet then moved forward into the Lylat system and passed what remained of the border defence station, namely the two large heavy cannons which remained, sadly floating there in orbit, surrounded by shreds and pieces of metal, fur and flesh. The Ultramarine vessels followed close behind, the Strike Cruisers covering the Battle Barge from both sides.

The Astropath on the Pacifier suddenly began to choke violently as he begun to sense disturbances within the Warp. All eyes turned to him, Admiral Nero grasping his hands behind his back as he addressed the psyker.

"What can you sense, Cesar?" Nero addressed him bluntly.

"I…I…I…I…sense…sense…sense…tainttttt, myyyyyy lordddddd," Cesar responded, his echoing, nearly inhuman voice chilling the blood of everyone on the bridge.

Surprised, Nero asked, "What? Where?"

"C…c….can not….can't….say…for sure, myyyyyyy lorddddddd," the Astropath Cesar answered, "Rea…research station…Beltino…."

'Beltino Space Station?' Nero pieced it together in his mind.

"Sir?" one of the technicians from his terminal cried, "We're detecting a Cornerian space station four clicks from the fleet's position. The Astropath may be referring to it."

Nero smiled, realising that there was life within that raspy-voiced psyker after all, "Thank you, Cesar."

Cesar shook his head and attempted to yell, "B…b…b…but I…!"

He suddenly lost consciousness as a powerful sedative was suddenly injected into him from the navigational equipment, silencing him and his seemingly half-crazed rambling, much to the relief of the admiral and much of the crew.

"My lord," one of the junior officers standing by addressed, "What will we do with the Cornerian space station? Do we destroy it?"

Nero shook his head and frowned, "I think for once I should agree with the General's policy on seeing the enemy die before you. You can tell him and the Commissar that they can wrest control of the station and make the furries squirm and give up whatever Emperor-knows godless projects they are working on.

He became sterner as he raised a finger and threateningly stepped before the officer

"We can not afford the events of last year to happen to the Imperium again, understand?"

Unfazed by Nero's gestures, the officer replied calmly, "Understood, my lord."

----------

Beltino was practically snaking on the fingernails of his left hand as he silently and nervously paced the floor of the control room. His eyes switched from focussing on the floor at his feet and on the windows near the terminal consoles, the equally terrified techs busy working the terminals whilst keeping their composure.

Beltino dared asked, "Has there being reports of any survivors?"

"No, sir," the lead canine technician responded, "Scanning twice over Defence Station #11 has confirmed there are no survivors. They've been completely obliterated."

Beltino took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, before reaching for the handkerchief in his right pocket to clean the lens. But he rubbed it tot hard and inadvertently cracked the left glass, the sound of shattered glass tugging at everyone's heartstrings and causing them all to flinch slightly. He nonchalantly put his glasses back on his face.

The door into the control room opened and in stepped Slippy, who looked just as nervous and uptight as his father was. It was a far cry from his rare burst of bravery just hours ago upon hearing what was believed that Corneria had been invaded by the Imperium and his intention to take on the many motherships of the Imperium with the prototype Bullfrog fighter.

"Dad?" Slippy begun slowly, "Did I just hear the public announcement system blurt out that the border station near here had just gotten blown up?"

Beltino nodded, expecting Slippy to continue, which he did.

"By the Imperial Navy?"

"We…we cannot confirm that detail right now," Beltino said shakily, "But I'm pretty certain that it can't be the Imperium, because they're attacking Corneria right now and there is no logical way that…"

He squealed out loud in panic as an alarm blared out and the panicked radar man broke the news.

"SIR!" he exclaimed, "IMPERIAL FURY INTERCEPTORS ARE HEADING STRAIGHT FOR THE STATION!"

A holographic representation of the fighter displayed itself in the centre of the control room. The **Fury Interceptor** almost resembled an old Earthling World War II fighter, only that it was beefed up with lascannon's and anti-starfighter missile launchers. The computer revealed that a squadron of six ship was gunning straight for the station.

In fact, they could see them approaching now. Beltino acted fast.

"Initiate defences!" Beltino ordered, "Drive them away from the station at all costs!"

----------

The pilot of the leading Fury focused on the approaching space station and gripped his controls tightly. The gunner stood by, ready to unleash the fighters deadly arsenal upon the station whilst the navigator kept on task with making sure the fighter kept in line with the others in their squadron.

This is the Pacifier to Commander of Epsilon Wing. Prepare to receive incoming defensive fire.

"I copy, control," the wing commander pilot responded, "Proceeding with attack. All ships…"

Yes, sir.

"Engage!"

The Furies accelerated forward towards the station, their target gradually becoming closer every few second that passed. The station's guns turned towards them and opened fire, prompting the fighters to initiate evasive manoeuvres as they begun to dodge laser fire by swerving left and right, nearly dodging ever blast that was hurled at them. One ship took a massive blow to the left wing, but kept on pushing forward.

After a minute they were in range of the station, so they begun to open fire on it's defences in a attempt to disarm the station and render it utterly defenceless. They begun spiralling around the cigar-shaped space station shooting out the guns while at the same time dodging all return fire with professionalism, assuring the reputation of the entire Imperial Navy Pilot Corps.

The technicians in the gunnery control room of the station desperately gripped their joysticks as they tried to keep the enemy fighters in their crosshairs long enough to blast them. But soon their guns were destroyed and they could do only one thing: Sit back in their seats and wait for the station to be sent spiralling into oblivion with them on it.

The Furries pulled back from the station and regrouped into an X shaped formation, where they dived straight towards their target. Those in the control room could seem them approaching as if they were going to smash into the room. Beltino and Slippy looked that freaked out it was nearly hysterical. Instead the fighters fired a payload of missiles which struck the massive antenna ray situated at the top of the station, and seconds later after the shockwaves had passed over the station and sent almost every feet unbalanced in the station, those in control found that…

"Our communications have been destroyed, sir!" Beltino immediately heard after uncovering his eyes.

"What?" Beltino questioned, "We're not dead?"

"No sir," the science officer responded, seeing that the fighters were now withdrawing back into deep space, "But our defences are down. We're sitting ducks here."

Slippy sighed, "It's a million-to-one chance they are gonna board this float. That would explain why they didn't just wipe us out."

Beltino gritted his teeth and his covered his face with his hands, trying his best not to burst out in tears as he felt completely overwhelmed with anxiety and fatalism. If they were coming to take over the station, they were going to possibly die whole lot slower, knowing all too well the human's policies towards captured aliens.

"So," Slippy related softly, "What do we do now?"

Beltino shook his head slowly, before frowning and announcing, "All security personnel are ordered to arm themselves and fortify the hangar area and first floor immediately. Prepare to repel boarders."

He turned to Slippy, still with a serious look of contempt.

"Take Amanda and hide yourselves."

"But dad…" Slippy attempted to protest, "What about you and…?"

Beltino glanced over at the window, seeing the approaching Imperial fleet in the distance from the darkest reaches of the surrounding universe. He had never seen that many human-made ships in his life, and he could do nothing but fear the worse.

"Don't argue with me, son," he finished.

Minutes later the balcony area of the hangar and the entirety of the floor connecting to the hangar was fortified, teaming with armed security personnel behind makeshift barriers and covers. The civilian personnel all retreated to the other floors and hid themselves in whatever would seem discretional from behind locked doors, closets and even lockers

The canine security chief was among the guards hiding on the balcony overlooking the fairly large hangar area, gripping a blaster rifle in his gloved hands. He and his men were adorned in the latest in Beltino's experimental body armour which relied on a power battery stored on their back, much like how Tau body armour works.

The chief grasped the cross necklace around his neck and muttered a silent prayer, along the lines of protection and prevailing against the odds. Others noticed him doing this and immediately begun to blame religion for this whole entire predicament. The chief knew of there feelings, but didn't say a word, knowing that not everyone believes in a higher force at work, whether it would be God or the Imperium's so-called Emperor.

'Give me strength,' he thought determinedly, 'Against these evil non-persons. Give me strength.'

----------

The Furies jetted past the two Shark Assault dropships as they returned back to the fleet, allowing the troops to take over the operation, much to their eternal chagrin. The Guardsmen within the two dropships wondered out loud why they were being sent to secure the station where the navy could have demolished it and they could have continued on into Lylat.

Sergeant Paul Armiel, Private Vincent Shultz and their squad had the luck of being on the same transport as Commissar Plymouth himself. Vincent closed his eyes as he muttered a silent prayer to the Emperor, wondering why the other Guardsmen were not joining him in prayer. Plymouth smiled gently to himself, not just because of the fact that the Imperial Guard and the Navy once again co-operating peacefully in the name of the God-Emperor of Mankind, but that the young was definitely about to go into battle with the Emperor in his heart and mind.

_Ten seconds to touchdown, Commissar,_ the transport pilot announced over the ship's PA, _Go skin some furries._

"Soldiers of the Imperium!" Plymouth shouted out loud, "Load your ammo, fix your bayonets, and prepare to give the enemies of mankind the hell they deserve. FOR THE EMPEROR!"

"FOR THE EMPEROR!" the Guardsman all relayed loudly as one, this time startling Vincent as he was shaken from his prayer.

He drew his sharpened sabre and gripped the handle tightened just as the dropships entered the hangar and touched down on the hangar floor loudly. The ramps lowered and out stepped dozens of Guardsman, lead by Commissar Plymouth and squads' leading sergeants. They were the first to step off the transports, Armiel scanned the large hangar area with his eyes, having expected the furries to make a dash for it. He gripped his laspistol in his left hand as he adjusted his communicator headset with his free hand. He smiled.

"Knock knock knock!" he taunted, eyes darting left and right, "Anybody home?"

Plymouth stepped forward from the troops; sabre gleaming in his right hand and his laspistol brandished in his left. He frowned, not surprised the Lylatians to have made themselves upon detecting their fleet approach the station. He figured that the furries were almost like animals, where they would run off as soon as they see a human. Only a few brave, ferocious beasts would stand their ground and fight; he and the Imperium would be there to put them down.

"Spread out!" Plymouth barked the order, "If you see a furry with a gun in his hand, do shoot it off. The hand that is."

The forty Guardsmen from the two dropships dashed forward from the two Shark, lasgun in hand. Vincent made sure to stick close to one of his fellow Guardsmen, seeing how a furry space station was no place for even a scary looking yet young and inexperienced human. Armiel immediately felt niggly about having this youngling cling onto to either him or his more experienced men.

By chance he noticed the security camera situated at the ceiling corner of the hangar, so the bearded sergeant closed his left eye, took aim and fired one shot at camera and destroyed it, which grazed the ear of one of the hiding security guards in the upper balcony. He made his presence known by a sharp yelp and stood up. The lasgun-packing Guardsmen then promptly gunned him down.

"FURRIES!" Armiel cried, "UPPER BALCONY!"

The security guard chief gritted his teeth, gripped his machine-gun tightly, and cried out at the top of his lungs a wolf cry. He and his men then broke cover and immediately begun firing upon the Guardsmen, immediately killing one. The humans impulsively took cover behind the cargo crates and machinery present, while the Commissar stood his ground and fired upwards, scoring a headshot and splattering his brains on the wall.

"TREMBLE BEFORE MY WRATH, IGNORANT DOGS!" Plymouth shouted up at them.

"FUCK YOU, COMMISSAR!" the chief exclaimed angrily, "TAKE HIM DOWN, MEN!"

The Cornerian guards and the Imperial Guardsmen exchanged frantic fire, the defenders appearing to have the upper hand as they had the high ground as they rained plasma fire on the Guardsmen below. Two more Guardsmen fell before Armiel noticed that the Commissar charged forward towards the spiral stairs leading upwards.

"COVERING FIRE!" he ordered, "WATCH THE COMMISSAR'S BACK!"

"SIR YES SIR!"

"YES SIR! COVERING FIRE!"

A **Kasrkin** Stormtrooper Guardsman fired his rapid-fire hellgun up at the crates that the furries were hiding behind, hoping to get lucky and hit one of them. The hell-laser instead melted through one of the the crate and hit the guard behind it, pelting him with and rendering his arms off. The screams echoing from the Cornerian drove the other security to fight harder, which one Cornerian broke cover for a second and shot a Guardsman through his chest and snuffed him out.

Plymouth reached the spiral staircase, having not receiving a single hit. Two of the Cornerians quickly ran over to the top of the staircase on the balcony and panicked when they saw the threatening looking political officer frowning up at them. Before they even thought to aim and fire their blaster rifles Plymouth fired his laspistol and put two bolts through their shoulders, wounding them.

Gripping his sabre tightly Plymouth traversed up the stairs quickly, the other security Cornerians aiming their guns at him and firing. They completely forgot about the Guardsmen near the dropships and opting to concentrate on one of the most infamous of all the Imperial officers to ever be heard about in the Lylat System.

A laser bolt hit Plymouth in the shoulder, but he was barely fazed as he reached the top and sliced through the nearest guard, hacking his head off and sending his body flying off the balcony down to the hangar floor. The security chief watched helplessly from the back as the Commissar hacked his men all up at close range. He watched the politically officer gracefully turn, parry and thrust his sword as he disarmed the Cornerian security guards before slicing through them like butter, relieving them of their limbs and heads.

The screams were horrible to hear and the blood ran everywhere, including off the Commissars blade as he killed all eight remaining security guards, excluding the two other guards he wounded and whom also watched him slaughter. The Guardsmen from below lowered their guns as they saw the security chief fearfully face off the Commissar, who had a smug grin on his face.

"Er…uh…oh…er…" the chief stumbled over his words as he felt his grip on his gun loosen.

Plymouth tapped his foot on the balcony floor as he frowned. He told him, "Your move, furry."

The security chief gulped, and figured he rather not suffer a humiliating death through a decadent weapon such as a sword. He dropped his pistol and put his hands behind his head, smiling nervously as the Commissar stepped closer to them.

"Wisely done, Cornerian…

He then pointed his sword at the chief's neck.

"…you will be put to good use before you are ultimately sent to your Hell."

Two Guardsmen who had followed the Commissar up the balcony once he had dispatched all of the Cornerian security guards pushed the chief to the ground. Just as the Imperial soldiers padded the chief down and handcuffed him before tending to the two surviving wounded guards, Plymouth stepped over to the edge of the balcony and gave his men a salute; the sergeants took this as a cue and quickly rallied their Guardsmen.

"Alright, squad," Armiel cried, "Let's take this station. You know the plan, now stick to it! Round up any furry scum you find and bring em' back here!"

The Guardsmen all dashed off in squads through the many dears leading out of the hangar towards the many different sections and rooms of the space station, weapons drawn and ready to deal with whatever hostilities they would face. Plymouth made his way down towards the dropships and up to the Guardsman carrying the communication equipment on his back.

He reached for the communicator and said, "Command, this is Plymouth. We hold the hangar and will momentarily bring the entire station under our control."

_Nicely done, Commissar, _Sturnn's voice could be heard on the other end of the line, _We'll be joining you momentarily and seeing whatever the hell the Cornerians are, or were, working on. No doubt it would have something to do with Chaos._

Looking grim, Plymouth responded, "I do not doubt that either, General."

----------

"SURRENDER FURRY SCUM! IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR, YOU WILL SUBMIT!"

Slippy and Amanda held each other tightly as they sat in the dark locker in the janitor's storeroom, hearing the sounds of Imperial Guardsmen tearing through the station. They were barking orders, smashing equipment and firing their lasguns, forcing scientists and other base personnel out of the rooms marching through the corridors of the station, hands behind their heads as they felt the bayonets prod at them from behind, urging them to walk faster. The security guards had all surrendered immediately without putting up much of a fight, practically handing the station over to the humans on a silver platter.

The two, terrified frogs had the same, dark thought running through their heads. It has finally happened. Humanity has finally come for the people of the Lylat and it's superior tides of soldiers, both **purebred **Imperial Guard and beefed-up Space Marines, will now wash the system in a storm of blood, violence, laser, flak and lance cannon.

'Jacques,' Slippy thought bitterly, as he looked mad, 'You better not be among the jerks taking the system down.'

They felt their blood freeze as the door into their room was kicked in and they heard an older, Anglo-sounding voice order…

"Clear this area, Shultz. Then meet up back with us at the hangar, got it?"

…and a younger, inexperienced voice comply…

"Sir, yes sir."

They heard footsteps leave the area, before they heard someone turn the light on in the room and scan the room, slight nervous humming being heard from the intruder. Amanda squeezed Slippy tighter in comfort, knowing they sooner or later they were going to be found. Slippy could feel her fear seep into him, but did his best to keep his composure. But were surprised when they swore they heard the Guardsman talk to himself.

They heard the human mutter, "Pull yourself together, Vinnie. This is for Karl and the folks back home. You're doing this for them, but especially Karl…"

Slippy opened the locker slightly to see the young human grasp his lasgun tightly as he looked around the room, appearing to be slightly anxious and taken back. It was when he closed the locker door that he and Amanda's luck ran out.

The Guardsman looked their way…

"HEY!"

…and the locker door was flung open and standing before them was the purebred human in flak-armour with the Imperial Guard and 412th symbols on his shoulder pads. The young man looked surprised at seeing the both of them, which actually surprised them as well. When their faces let their feelings be known the Guardsmen shook his head, frowned, and aimed his lasgun at Slippy's face, causing him to cringe.

"ALRIGHT, FROGGIES!" he exclaimed in his rough voice, "HANDS UP! OUT OF THE LOCKER, NOW!"

"Ok! Ok! Ok!" Slippy cried in a panic, "Just…point that thing away from me!"

"Please…don't hurt us," Amanda pleaded, "We're just scientists…"

'I'm not going to hurt you,' the Guardsman known as Shultz thought, before he shook his head and cried again, slightly trembling himself, "Out into the hallway. To the hangar area, MOVE!"

Slippy and Amanda complied, stepping out into the passage and joining the line of other station personnel being escorted at gunpoint to the hangar area, all the while trying to stay close to one another and not let each out of his sights. Just as he was shoved painfully forward, Slippy couldn't see his father anywhere, but he was relieved to see him in the hangar with dozens upon dozens of the station personnel...

"NO!"

…and was horrified to find him being strangled by a skinhead Guardsman sergeant. He was lifted lifted off his feet and dangling in the air, the sergeant practically screaming in his face.

"ALRIGHT YOU GREEN TURD!" the sergeant shouted, "TELL US WHAT KIND OF DAMNED TECH YOU AMPHIBIAN FAGGOTS ARE SCREWING AROUND WITH OR I'LL PUT MY FOOT RIGHT THROUGH YOUR UNUSALLY DRY CORPSE!"

Beltino gasped, "We're…not…experimenting…with Chaos…"

"LYING FUCKING XENOS!"

The sergeant punched Beltino in the gut, eliciting a gasped cry of pain. He then dropped him on the steel floor and aimed his laspistol at his head. Slippy was about to charge forward from the line when the Commissar grabbed the sergeant by the shoulder and gave him a stern looking, almost causing him to jump.

"Control yourself, sergeant," Plymouth groused.

Before he had a chance to think about what he was doing Slippy broke out of the line and dashed towards his day, skidding onto his knees to help him onto his feet, not realising he was before the shined boots of the Commissar.

"Dad…dad?" Slippy said, "Can you stand?"

Catching his breath, Beltino moaned as he shakily stood up with help from Slippy, "You and Amanda hid in the janitor storeroom, didn't you?"

Slippy suddenly cried out in shock as he found he was standing before Plymouth, a dreaded Commissar of the Imperium of Man. He had heard so many stories about these fearless, political officers of the Imperial Guard. They were all that terrible and nauseating that they couldn't possibly have been true. But seeing Plymouth stand before him clad in his black and scarlet greycoat with large hat, allowed him to quickly deduced that they were all true to the letter.

"Startle you did I, amphibian?" Plymouth mocked with a smile, his eyes obscured from his hat, "I thought as much, knowing someone of your immediate…character."

Angrily, Slippy demanded defiantly, "What do you want from us, Commissar? I thought we had nothing to do with you any more because of Papetoon!"

"You should ask that to the General when he arrives, alien," Plymouth responded camly, before ordering loudly, "Now join your fellow anthropomorphic cretins on the floor!"

With his lasgun a Guardsman shoved the pair back towards the large group of Lylatian personnel sitting on the ground, Guardsmen keeping them packed together, patting and stroking their lasguns ready to club any one who dared tried to stand up from cramps or even complain. Slippy and Beltino found they were separated from Amanda, who sat in the very edge of the group from the other end.

Slippy started to feel ill, all too well knowing what their fate will eventually be once the humans get around to it. He had seen what humanity does to it's enemies, pointed out by Jacques as he had taken his sword out to both Venomians and Orks last year; he could only imagine that it would pale in comparison to what the Imperial Guard would do to him and those around him.

'Fox,' he thought sadly, 'Where are you? Jacques?'

He felt himself shiver fearfully.

'We need the both of you...now…'

He was then suddenly clubbed across the face by the butt end of a Guardsman's lasgun and was immediately sent spiralling into the place where there is no pain or thought, formally known as unconsciousness.


	13. Chapter 12: Desperate Times

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

A/N: I've just finished reading 'Ravenor,' and it sure as hell inspired me.

* * *

Chapter 12 – Desperate Times…

* * *

_War journal of Jacques Mortensen, date year 999 of the 41__st__ Millennium. Yesterday I will forever hold in my heart a day of both dread and rejoice. For it was that day that not only did we discover that the Warp-maddened pawn of the False Gods' Warmaster Abaddon himself has brought his bloodied fist on this universe for the beginning of his next Black Crusade and we have sworn to stand against him. It was also when I was united with the only people I will ever consider to be my true family – Team Star Fox of the Lylat System, and especially the Crown Princess and last daughter of Cerinia, Krystal._

_I can only imagine how the foul presence of Chaos has affected her, as she has the ability to draw her power from that potent energy source but preferring her ancestor's source of power found only in the elements of nature. As a result of the increased Warp-emanations I can only guess what she can see, hear and feel because of it. As I had originally sworn to my Grand Master, my late Brother-Captain of the 2__nd__ Company and to her father the King of Cerinia, I shall protect her from whatever the Immaterium, the Imperium, this system and anything else in the universe that dares to lay a finger on her. _

_She trusts me like a brother and I am determined to make sure her trust is not misplaced. If it would mean my death in order to protect her then so be it. I would gladly sacrifice my life to make sure she may never be threatened or hurt eve again. If she were to fall, then my life would have no meaning and I would gladly follow her to the grave by placing my storm bolter to my forehead or impaling myself with my Nemesis Force sword. As long as she exists, there is hope for the universe and for all life, and for me._

_Right now I am bent on rectifying a grave mistake that I no doubt had made in coming back to Lylat. The Imperium of Man has followed me here, sending a fleet of ten of the navy's most powerful warships, which possibly are swarming with thousands and thousands of men from the Imperial Guard, the Hammer of the Emperor. A Space Marine Battle-Barge and it's escorts follow close behind, teaming with my brothers who are willing to destroy the remainder of the Children of Eden in order to make sure that tragic piece of Imperial history will be long forgotten._

_As I write this they are heading for the Beltino Research Facility at the border's edge of Lylat, where my friend Slippy Toad is stationed. I can only imagine what they would do to him if they capture him, his father and those they work with. I am determined not to let that happen, if it would mean fighting my own species, I accept without question._

_It is possible that they will soon know of the Chaos incursion here, and may the Emperor persuade their hearts to fight Warmaster Abaddon himself rather then the peoples of this system and the Children of Eden. I ask for your guidance, my Emperor, and to see us all through this whole ordeal, to live long enough to find a way to strike down the Despoiler once and for all._

_Though weak our armaments and numbers, Disorder will not find our hearts lacking._

----------

Governor-Militant General Alexander stood in the bridge of the Augustus, his hands held behind his back as he waited for a status report. The room illuminated only by the florescent lights situated all around the room, no starlight coming in due to the shielded windows being closed. The heat, which had gripped the bridge, didn't seem to affect Alexander and the naval personnel within the ships, though the ship's captain wiped his forehead with a flannel as he approached Alexander.

"The fleet's almost passed Solar, General," the captain informed him.

Alexander nodded, "The fleet's structural integrity?"

"They are all holding, sir," the captain responded, "Though there are reports of raised temperatures within the hulls, there is no damage to speak of."

"Good," Alexander said, then noted uncomfortably, "It's almost a damned sauna in here. Pilot?"

He turned to the main pilot of the ship, the man himself a blond-haired, purple-eyed Cadian in his mid-thirties.

"Yes, sir?"

"Open the windows."

"Affirmative, Governor-Militant."

The pilots imputed the directives into a nearby console and immediately the covers over the windows raised to reveal the blackness that was space, where about a few minutes ago the view would have been purely fire, lava and possibly brimstone – Lylat's star Solar itself. Alexander was amazed that they could pass by Solar without sustaining too much damage or discomfort, in comparison to their sun back at Segmentum Solar.

"What of the Tau Explorer?" Alexander asked.

"They are following close behind, sir," the captain responded.

"The Great Fox?"

"Being tugged right behind it."

"Thank you captain," Alexander related, "Carry on."

The captain saluted and immediately joined up with two other uniformed fleet officers. Alexander excused himself from the bridge and walked down the hallway past other busy flight officers and technicians, each one saluting him as he passed by. He had no intention of going somewhere specific on the ship; he just needed to recollect himself and assess his situation, which was mostly of complete irony.

'Let's recap,' he thought to himself, sounding very bitter, 'On one corner: Me, my men of around 6,000; a Delta-level Psyker cross-Space Marine; a Tau expeditionary force with Farsight and Aun'shi themselves and Kemono mercs, one of which is the last Cerinian female. The other: A larger Imperial force en-route to the system now, and the Despoiler himself and possibly nearly all of the Fallen Space Marine legions and hell of a lot more Cult groups attacking Corneria and spreading through the system.'

He chuckled sadly.

'My forecast: A week at least of resistance before this system is really down the drain, washed away with it's own blood. Give another few weeks the Segmentum Pacificus will be taken by surprise. A year later: Segmentum Solar will come under direct attack. By then trillions will have lost their lives and their souls taken by the false Gods.'

He then frowned again.

'Mortensen, I pray that the Emperor be truly with us. But especially with you, and that you've got something up your metal xeno-loving sleeve.'

----------

Fox rubbed the middle of his chest delicately, still feeling some slight aches and irritancy following his miraculous and nearly instantaneous recovery from the crashlanding on Titania hours ago. Though he no longer was suffering life-threatening injuries, he still felt slightly breathless and somehow felt turmoil engulf his mind. He replayed mentally over and over again how Bill once again came to him in what appeared to have either have been a dream, a vision, or just a pain-induced hallucination. He prayed that it was just a dream and nothing to do with the pain, since pain was all he could feel right now deep inside himself.

It was not a physical pain, but a mental, emotional and spiritual pain. It was the sort of pain that only comes from witnessing your homeworld consumed by the fires of what would be considered Hell, and it itself was spewing forth it's legions of Warp-maddened Cult groups and corrupted super-soldiers to take over and destroy everything in it's path. He kept on wishing that this was a all a nightmare, and that he would eventually wake up, possibly besides Krystal years from now in bed. The both of them would be happily married with at least two cubs, a boy and girl. He would live happily ever after and have nothing else to do with daemons, humans, oversized rocket firing machine-guns, swords with rotary blades or even Jacques Mortensen, he himself out of the picture forever.

Jacques sensed his inner turmoil and too was also saddened about the fact that this was real life. And to the Grey Knight, every waking moment in real life was his own private Hell. But not wanting to bury himself in his personal issues as well, he decided to break the silence and not drag everyone else down towards depression.

"Fox?"

The vulpine winced as he was immediately shattered from his thoughts, almost shrieking, "Wha…! What?"

Krystal, Katt and Falco were startled as the sound reverberated all around the elevator car as they ascended downwards the floors of the Augustus warship towards the hangars. They looked at Fox oddly, who became embarrassed about his outburst.

"Sorry," Fox sheepishly added, "Yeah, Jacques?"

"You seem more troubled than usual, Fox," the Knight related, "Are you certain you are fully healed?"

Fox smirked, "Am I standing here in the lift talking to you?"

"You are."

"Than I am," Fox stated, the smirk disappearing, "Just feeling some post-op discomfort."

Krystal couldn't have helped but also peeked into Fox's mind as well and catch a glimpse of what he was thinking. She had wanted to throw her arms around him and comfort him, as she herself was feeling restless as she tried to fight off the stem of chaotic energies emanating from the Warp. She did so by thinking nice thoughts about her life and times with her friends and her late family. But upon sensing Fox's thoughts cut through towards to her, she begun to feel cold inside…which she was finally able to suppress just by thinking how Jacques, her brother and protector, would be the one to finally end this conflict and bring peace to Lylat.

And while she was dreaming she wanted to be with her people back on Cerinia again.

"You should be feeling more than discomfort, Fox," Falco chided, "You're the only guy I know who is standing around after being impaled on a fridge handle and healing himself just by thinking about it."

Fox looked slightly flustered, "Pardon my sarcasm, but is it normal to feel slightly worried about that?"

"Definitely," Katt replied.

"What do you make of that, Jacques?" Krystal enquired, looking up at him softly.

Jacques appeared stumped as he rubbed his chin and responded, "I am uncertain. But there are definitely mysterious forces at work, brought on by the taint spreading across this system."

The elevator stopped and one ping later the doors opened to reveal the hangar area of the Augustus. They stepped through and, not including Jacques, were eternally surprised to find four Arwings sitting in the centre of the hangar, being worked on by what appeared to be men dressed in red cloaks with mechanical forearm machinery attached to their backs carrying large, mechanical staffs. Krystal narrowed her eyes slightly trying to focus on them.

"With permission from Commander Farsight we recovered the Arwings," Jacques explained as they stepped through towards the ships, passing by other engineers, pilots and technicians, "And he says that the Earth Caste is speeding up repairs on the Great Fox. They estimate that the Great Fox will be fully repaired and operational in another day."

Falco smiled, "Remind me to thank those pacifists-carrying-guns will ya', Jacques."

The men working on the Arwings stopped their work and turned around, revealing their front sides to be clad in mechanically suits and mouthpieces. The staffs they carried had the **mechanical skull **insignia imprinted, and their physical appearances caused Fox's eyes to widen inexplicably, seeing that they were nearly cyborgs.

"Commander Mortensen," one of the cyborg engineers greeted him enthusiastically, his voice sounding mechanical and distorted no doubt due to his mouthpiece, but sounding enthusiastic nonetheless, "These pieces of craft are wondrous. Though xeno, they are works of art blessed by the **Machine God** himself."

Falco smiled widely, staring down the orange-eyed engineer, "Slippy would've squealed with joy at hearing that."

"Thank you, Makybee," Jacques said, hands crossed behind his back and smiling, "It is good to see that that at least a few clergy of the Machine God appreciates alien machinery. Techpriests…"

The priests all looked at Jacques.

"…allow me to introduce Team Star Fox, the pilots of the aforementioned mechanical works of art."

"Ah, the sole guardians of Lylat itself," the Techpriest known as Makybee greeted, stepping forward and extending his hand, "I am **Tyler Makybee**, and we are the **Techpriest** **Enginseers **of the **Adeptus Mechanicas**, highest servants of the **Machine God**. Or at least…we were."

Fox shook his hand just as Tyler chuckled sadly, which through his mouthpiece gave Fox the chills just by hearing him, causing his fur to stand on end. But that was already starting to grind Falco's gears as he felt like his eardrums were being pierced with incredibly sharp knives, metaphorically speaking that is.

"I'm sure you no doubt still serve the Machine Spirit," Krystal observed as they shook hands firmly, "And it in return watches over you."

"Of course, Cerinian," Tyler replied, "And I was informed by Mortensen that one of you has an interest in the mechanical and spiritual dealings of the machine, am I right?"

"Yeah…well," Fox responded, then smiled, "I'm not sure on the spiritual side, but the mechanical he'd be interested in."

"Who is he, then? For I believe we can no doubt exchange knowledge on our two culture's mechanical works."

"He's one of the guy's we're flying to save, honey," Katt responded, letting go of his hand after they shook, "You should count your lucky if we decide to encourage him to come skipping your way with stars in his eyes."

Tyler appeared disappointed as he responded, "That is a shame. I know of no alien who has ever received leniency from the Imperium, or that has even survived long enough around them without being interrogated."

Falco looked worried; "So you're saying…Slippy's gonna die?"

"If the Imperium does not deviate in any way from their usual treatment of prisoners, I would suspect he, and those around him, may not have very long to live," Tyler answered, sounding devoid of any emotion whatsoever.

Feeling uncertainty, Jacques tapped his earpiece radio and said, "Control, this is Mortensen. How long until we reach our destination."

_Another hour, Commander._

"Thank you," Jacques said, then spoke again where this time his voice was amplified through the public announcement system wired all around the ships in the fleet, _"Attention all flight personnel, prepare for immediate engagement of enemy aircraft. I repeat:…"_

He eyes darted left and right and saw that everyone present was looking at him.

"Prepare to engage the Imperium in one hour. In the name of the Emperor, make haste!"

Every human pilot, technician and engineer begun to rush everywhere as they went about following their orders, recabilirating and refuelling the dozens of Fury starfighters sitting in the bay. The situation was also the samefor the other ships in the fleet. As the fighter pilots all prepped themselves in both their individual and shared quarters, strapping on their flight gear and oxygen mask and making sure they carry emergency equipment and sidearms. Ready for the unlikely event they are shot down and crashed on a nearby planet or are captured and would rather face death than a dreaded fate reserved for heretics.

Jacques looked determined as he and Star Fox continued to stand there in the bay. He vowed, "I will not allow a fellow team member to suffer an unrighteous fate."

Fox's eyes widened, hearing him refer to Slippy as his fellow team member. He asked, "You…you still think you are part of Star Fox?"

Despite the situation, Jacques smiled, "Why am I not? I accepted your offer a year ago and have always being part of it since. Only that our activities have been separate and in common."

"And that is to protect?" Krystal asked, smiling as well.

The Grey Knight nodded, "Yes it is."

Fox smirked as well, "It's great to know that The Only Good Human is still part of the Star Fox team. Also…"

His smiled faded as he now sounded serious.

"…we'll be back in space and in the air where we belong."

"About time to," Falco commented, eyeing his Arwing as it was still being mended by the Techpriests, "I need to stretch my wings, metaphorically speaking."

"I noticed already," Jacques said wryly.

----------

_That is far enough, witch. It is over. Let the children go!_

_Thy dare to stand before us, a mere human male. Thy dare a mere human male who seeks to deny us the simple pleasures we so crave._

_I am not alone; my Brothers surround you with high-powered rifles trained on your foreheads. Drop your weapons and let those children go, and you may leave here alive._

_You bluff, Mon-keigh!_

_You have been warned!_

_KILL HIM, SISTERS!_

_**RAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!  
**__  
WHA…! NO…ARGHHHHHH!_

Near delirious and panicked Jakob's head shot up and he quickly reached for his submachine-guns holstered to his sides, backing himself up against the wall in a sitting position, sweat dripping from his forehead and the pupil of his remaining eye diluted. It took him nearly a minute to realise he had just suffered a nightmare, and that he was safe in his quarters on-board the Explorer-class ship known as the Infinity. He pried the fingers off both his submachine-gun, and with much contempt he tossed them aside, right next to the hypodermic injector he used to inject his medicine with.

'Oh, by the Ethereals,' he thought bitterly, running a hand through his hair, feeling that it had been soaked with his sweat.

He felt the nauseous and delirium quickly subsided and left him sitting there on his bed, clad in nothing but his armoured plated pants. He noticed the remainder of his suit lying on the floor, so he got off his bed and put them back on himself, all the while thinking about the people he had just been introduced to just hours before, but especially the cerulean vixen and the shining Imperial Grey Knight.

Jakob had heard of the mysterious race of ancient, elemental beings known as the Cerinians, and that they met their end by the hands of the Forces of Disorder, and even their own allies the Imperium. He heard it around the grapevine that they were the only 'alien' race that the normally xenophobic Imperium ever allied, and exploited, with. This led to their homeworld Cerinia's downfall and the eradication of the entire Cerinian race, but at least the Imperium lost thousands of Guardsman and the destruction of the entire Ultramarines 2nd Company. It saddened him greatly upon hearing the Ethereals preach to him and his fellow gue'la on the subject.

Upon seeing the Cerinian Krystal in the flesh for the first time he felt relieved, seeing that somebody did survive Cerinia after all. He smiled to himself, remembering how she was grateful for his helping her out during those battles on Titania, and she returned the favour by bequeathing his staff for him to use against the Chaos Sorcerer Artemis. The way she smiled at him somehow made all his negative, dark thoughts and feelings disappear, swept off to a place he didn't care so long as they were gone.

Strange, to him he felt he had known her forever, despite just only meeting her. His thoughts were interrupted as he felt slightly felt the chills, the hairs on his arms and legs sticking up on end. He knew this was another occasional side effect of his treatments, where until it would too fade away he would have to deal with it.

His room communicator beeped and he answered it, "Yeah?"

Gue'vesa'Shas'la, are you still feeling doped up?

"No, Shas'ui."

In that case, Farsight himself wants to speak with you. You best head down to the Enclaves section and report to the traitor.

Jakob frowned upon hearing O'Shovah being called a traitor, who he believed he was really wasn't, "Right away, Shas'ui."

He switched off the communicator and stepped towards the door. As he extended his hand towards the door handle he feel the coldness envelop him more, causing him to shiver uncontrollably. He sucked it up and turned on his heels, where he stepped over to what appeared to be the closet in his quarters and threw open the door.

He smiled slightly upon seeing his favourite piece of clothing: An ankle-length dark-coloured trench coat with the Tau symbol imprinted on the left side. He removed the shoulder plating on his armour before he wrapped the coat around himself and slid into it comfortably, leaving it open so that his armour could be seen, revealing that he was still of allegiance to the Empire and the Greater Good.

He stepped out of his quarters and made his way through the ship, passing by the many blue and grey-skinned Tau of the Fire, Water, Earth and Air Caste, accepting their nods of greetings and smiles. It would seen that to them they didn't seen surprised to find that there was one singular gue'la ally on board their ship, dressed in a trench coat, wearing Tau armour underneath and having the designation Fire Warrior.

As a fellow believer of Tau'va – the Greater Good, he was one of them.

Soon he was standing outside the door leading into O'Shovah's chambers, alongside a Farsight Enclave Fire Warrior with a plasma rifle standing guard. The Warrior was surprised to see the gue'la dressed in his favourite trench coat, but deduced it was to stop the chills that he still felt as he recovered from his medicine.

"Gue'vesa'Shas'la," the Fire Warrior greeted, "Our commander awaits you."

Jakob nodded as the door opened and he stood through, but not before hearing the Fire Warrior say…

"Nice coat, Jakob."

A/N:

The human smiled at the compliment as he stepped through into the back quarters of the ship, immediately greeted by other Farsight Enclaves soldiers, each one missing their helmets and reminding Jakob that though they may no longer be part of the Empire, they were still Tau. He walked down the hallway passed them until he reached Shovah's personnel chambers.

He stood to attention outside the door, noticing the camera drone hovering above him, watching him silently as he waited for Farsight to reveal himself to him. The doors opened sideways and without hesitation he stepped through into the square-shaped, mechanical yet rather plain looking personal chambers, compared to Aun'shi's own extravagant looking rooms.

He was surprised immensely when he found O'Shovah strapped back into his battlesuit, and he appeared to be kneeling in the centre of the room, his head lulled and his Dawn blade extended, as if in some sort of meditation. Jakob knew better than to interrupt someone when they are peacefully focussing their minds, but…

"Shas'O?" Jakob begun questioningly, realising that the floor of the room bored the Farsight emblem as he walked forward, "You sent for me?"

O'Shovah raised his head and looked over at Jakob, his mechanical eyes emitting clicking sounds as he focussed and zoomed in on him. He reached for the ground and grabbed the blade, holding it in his mechanical hands. Jakob felt his throat go dry as O'Shovah stood up from his crouched position and towered above the gue'la. Jakob swallowed softly as he felt O'Shovah stare from his visors into his soul.

Strangely, like the first day he came to him to learn how the Farsight Enclave's fight a war.

"Do you remember the lessons taught to you months ago?" O'Shovah asked him, "Where the Patient Hunter would strike the Killing Blow."

"Er…yes," Jakob answered, standing straight in light of his current position, "Kau'yon and Mont'ka. Where there is honour to see your enemy die up close than to cowardly engage them from afar. I haven't forgotten what you said ever…YAHHH!"

O'Shovah suddenly dove forward and swung his blade. Jakob bent his torso backwards, allowing the blade to skim over him harmlessly. The barely audible sounds of his spin bending could be heard before he straightened himself up. He narrowed his eyes glared, before leaping into the air and delivering a jump kick to O'Shovah head, the tail of his trench coat acting like a sort of cape. The force of his attack twisted his helmet backward to face the other way.

"HA!"

He landed back on the ground and turned around, seeing the entrance into the chamber looked with the Fire Warrior Guard present, gripping his pulse rifle threateningly. He felt panicked, seeing that O'Shovah has suddenly turned him on. It would appear that his teacher in the art of melee was now trying to spill his blood on the symbol engraved on the floor.

O'Shovah grunted with discomfort as he adjusted his helmet so that it was looking the right way. When his vision reactivated he let out a roar, and charged forward towards Jakob, who dodged his next blow with a backflip. Jakob clinched his fists and blades extended from his wrists and as O'Shovah struck again he used his left hand to deflect the Dawn Blade and his right to thrust forward, where O'Shovah dodged sideway, before bringing his foot up to sweep kick the guel'a.

"YAHHHHHH!"

Jakob was knocked off his feet, but brought the palm of his hand on the ground and rebounded back onto his feet. He was then suddenly staring down the barrel of O'Shovah's plasma cannon, which was aimed at his head point blank. Jakob would have jumped out of his skin with fright if he didn't feel the courage and bravery that was brewing inside of him, instead he looked calm as he opened his mouth to speak…

"You wouldn't," Jakob asserted.

"Why is that, young gue'la?" O'Shovah asked, still aiming his cannon right in Jakob's face.

"You told me that acts of cowardice would forever be at the back of your mind, and will always haunt you until your days come to a close," Jakob explained fervently.

"What makes you think this is cowardly?"

"We've being fighting for only half-a-minute, and already you resort to bringing a gun into a knife fight," Jakob replied smirkingly.

"What makes you think I am going to fire?"

To prove his point, O'Shovah smacked Jakob across the face with the plasma cannon, knocking him onto the floor. Jakob tasted blood in his mouth, spitting it out he stood back up, a look of pure anger and zealous on his face. He wiped the blood from his mouth, moved his neck around, feeling the bones creak as he psyched himself up for another round of melee.

"KIIIYAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Jakob dove forward and thrust his left blade forward, where O'Shovah easily blocked it. He then slashed forward with his right, cutting the Fire Caste Commander across the chest, sparks flying forward as he marked the armour. He then hopped backwards, before diving forwards and body slamming O'Shovah, staggering the commander.

"ARGHH…LA!"

With all his might Jakob struck again and brought both his blades towards O'Shovah shoulders. He then pierced the both of them, the blades sticking out through the other end of O'Shovah's armour. Jakob immediately became shocked at what he had just done, but not before realising that more Farsight Fire Warriors had entered the chamber and had now encircled the battling pair.

Instinctively Jakob pulled his blades back out and stepped back the still standing Commander, his flesh having not being cut, as the blades were only inches away from his real shoulders. Jakob looked around himself in confusion, seeing that some of the Fire Warriors with their helmets off were smiling slightly and crossing their hands together before them.

O'Shovah moved his hands upward to his helmet, where he removed his helmet to revealing that he too was smiling warmly, not flinching one bit due to their fight. Suddenly the dozens of Farsight Fire Warriors began a slow clap, which gradually quickened until they were applauding Shas'la Jakob, as if on a job well done.

Jakob's eyes widened, trying to make sense of it all. It gradually cleared up when O'Shovah broke the news.

"You have not forgotten our lessons after all, Gue'vesa'Shas'la," O'Shovah announced, "Compared to our cousins of T'au, their auxiliaries have proven themselves more capable of spreading the Greater Good through our teachings."

Still surprised, Jakob asked, "Was this a test?"

"It was not quite a test, Jakob," O'Shovah responded, "Rather, a recap of what we had shown you months ago, and what led you to victory against the Great Enemy just hours ago."

A Fire Warrior stepped forward and patted Jakob on the shoulder, causing him to flinch slightly as he did not expect it.

"You are one of us, La'Jakob," the Fire Warrior said, "Do not let any of your masters say any different."

Jakob mouth was slightly agape as he looked over his shoulder at the Farsight Enclave, still trying to understand what was going on. When he finally did understand seconds later, he smiled and nodded, before looking up at O'Shovah.

"My loyalty is to the Ethereals, T'au, my fellow gue'la and the Greater Good, Commander Farsight," Jakob explained, still smiling, "But how I defend those things and myself, I owe all to you all. Thank you for teaching me."

"No," O'Shovah shook his head, "Thank you for letting us teach you, Human Fire Warrior."

Suddenly alarms blared everywhere, drawing everyone's attention upward to the ceiling where the alarms were emitting.

"It would seem we have trouble," O'Shovah said calmly, "And I sense it is beyond what we can do at this present time."

Jakob hated those last words that O'Shovah said, knowingly hating bad situations where he couldn't do anything.

----------

"Attention on deck all flight crews. Governor-Militant Alexander and Commander Mortensen present."

A long-nosed, bald-headed man in Kasrkin Carapace Armour cut through the chattering amongst the flight-suited fighters and Techpriests pilots present in the Operations sector of the Augustus. The automated doors leading into the room slid open and in stepped Star Fox, instead of the two men that the Kasrkin mentioned, surprising everyone present, especially the Kasrkin.

"Hope we didn't miss anything," Fox said, before turning to the frowning Kasrkin, "Greetings."

"What are you people doing here?" the Kasrkin queried, sounding somewhat annoyed at the sight of aliens standing before him, "I thought the Governor-Militant ordered that Central Command, the Bridge and Briefing were off limits to civilians."

"Civilians?" Falco asked, "Is that what you are calling us now? Heh, sounds friendlier than 'xeno' or furrry…'

Katt pinched him on the shoulder and he shut his beak, allowing Fox to counter, "I figured if you're gonna take on the entire Imperium with only a couple dozen fighters and a few warships you'll need all the help you can get."

Before the Kasrkin can respond, planning to throw in a swear word or two to put these furries in their place, he was cut off as Governor Alexander appeared in the doorway with Jacques, who had his Nemesis Force sword sheathed to his sword.

"I hate to admit myself, Colonel Vash," Alexander smirked as he stepped in, "But we are going to need every hand, paw, claw and extra appendage we can get."

Colonel Vash grudgingly saluted and stepped aside, just as all other human hands present saluted the Governor, before taking their seats as he took the stage and stood in front of the podium, looking over amongst the flight personnel sitting some feet away. He noticed at the corner of his eyes Star Fox and Jacques standing near the exit, and especially noticing Falco with his arms crossed and his foot tapping the floor, looking at him with a rather peculiar expression.

Ignoring it, Alexander quickly and (surprisingly) silently cleared his throat and begun, "Good day, gentlemen. I apologise for not making any earlier announcements regarding a mission in the Lylat System, but recent developments once again call upon your services in the defence of the universe and the existence of humanity."

The room darkened just as a green-coloured holographic wireframe projection of the Beltino Orbital Station generated itself just beside Alexander, where he leaned on his right shoulder as he turned himself to face the projection.

"The Beltino Research Space Station is currently under assault by Imperium forces, OUR Imperium forces let me remind you," Alexander explained fervently, "House within it is a wealth of Kemono prototype equipment and possibly weaponry. Which may prove valuable in holding off the Forces of Chaos, and is at risk of being dismantled by the Imperium…"

He glanced over at Jacques, and saw his rather concerned expression. He gave a rather unnoticeable wink.

"…as well as the alien science personnel and staff present."

The holographic projection changed shape to resemble a smaller scale of the space station, with the majority of the Imperial fleet right beside it, with smaller Fury fighter craft and slightly larger **Starhawk** bombers (somewhat resembling old 20th Century Earth Stealth Bombers) zipping about all around the fleet.

"Our long-range sensors have pinpointed the fleet to be situated directly next to the station with Lightning Strike fighters and Starhawk craft covering the station. Our operation will proceed as follows if you bear with me…"

The holographic projector visually backed up what he was about to say.

"…our capital ships will bombard the Imperial ships from afar, just barely out of their own range. This will hopefully draw their fighters towards our positions, where the majority of our own Furies will engage them. Meanwhile two teams of Kasrikin will infiltrate the Space Station from the other side away from the fleet under the escort of Star Fox…"

Suddenly one pilot stood form his seat and raised his hand, "Sir, you mean _the _Star Fox?"

Irritated at being interrupted (and somewhat disappointed about the fact that if they were still part of the Imperium his Commissar Anton Gabbit would have executed him for interrupting,) Alexander responded, "Yes, Bours. The mercs themselves will be a part of this mission."

Fox immediately wondered if that pilot was either angered or relieved that he and the team would be leading the assault. He had heard only snippets that Star Fox was heard of in the Imperium, and wondered what the extent of their notoriety was among humanity, no doubt under scrutiny from the Administratum and the Inquisition. Krystal would have thought the same thing if she hadn't pried into the pilot's mind (finding out that his first name is Markus). She found him to be relieved to be flying alongside a highly trained, professional flight team; despite the handicap of them being born furries…and also that the blue female was somewhat sexy for an alien vixen.

That last comment made her feel embarrassed somewhat, and amuse her at the same time. Her attention was drawn back to Alexander as he continued with the briefing.

"…as I was saying, the Kasrikin team will dispatch the Guardsmen and armed naval personnel already in the station and will attempt to establish a teleportation beacon within the station to beam as many civilians and technology out as possible."

He paused.

"Any questions?"

Another pilot stood up, saluted, and asked, "Sir, what do you think our chances of success are?"

Alexander looked over at Jacques, who nodded in agreement, where he responded, "I would say our chances are minimal. Worst case scenario: We would get captured. But it can be agreed that being interrogated and sentenced by the Inquisition is considered mercy compared to what Chaos would do to us."

He then frowned.

"I will be honest with you, if we're going to die, we might as well go trying to stop the Despoiler himself. Now…any more questions?"

"SIR NO SIR!" the flight crews all exclaimed as one.

Alexander then smirked and raised a fist, "Pilots and Techpriests of the 1st Kronus Regiment, prepare to die in _His_ service, unfortunately against _His _own people but all against _His_ enemy. The Emperor protects!"

The pilot crews all saluted and filed out of the room by group, leaving Alexander standing there on the stage, prompting Fox to step forward towards him.

"That was a rousing speech, Governor," Fox smirked, "I didn't know speechmaking was a subject they taught at Commissar college…"

He then rolled his eyes.

"…or whatever you call it."

"I hope you mean the Schola Progeium," Alexander responded sharply, "It's all to keep the soldier's heart to the fight, McCloud. I'm sure you wouldn't know, as normally you mercs wouldn't have the odds against you."

He then smirked himself.

"Especially when you had Mortensen on the team, very nearly damning himself in the eyes of our Emperor."

Jacques frowned, "The worst I could have done would have been to repaint my armour in their colours, Governor-Militant. Now, if we can move onto more serious matters."

Fox nodded, "So we'll be escorting your commando teams to the station, so they could bring out some kind of teleportation beacon?"

"Correct. Here…"

The holographic projector formed what appeared to be the device, which considered of a metallic disk with a small computer and a radar dish attached. Katt, Falco and Krystal stepped forward onto the stage to take a closer look.

"The Techpriests cobbled this device from both the Deep Striking technology found on the Tactical Dreadnought Armour of the Adeptus Astartes…er…I meant the Terminator armour from the Space Marines..."

He had quickly changed his words have seeing that he had almost lost Fox, Falco and Katt with using those Imperial formal words 'Adeptus Astartes – Space Marines' and 'Tactical Dreadnought Armour – Terminator Armour.

"…and the equipment used to hook the Navigator Psyker to a warship's internal computer systems, which would pick up the Emperor's _**Ray of Hope **_back on Holy Terra, which serves as the beacon for all Imperial warship. After some minor adjustments and altercations they created this, a Portable Displacement Field Generator. If the Kasrkin could get this baby into the centre of the station…"

The holographic projector created a wireframe image of the station and the device into the middle centre of it.

"…and could set it off, it would transport every designated living thing and technology off that floating junk…"

The holographic projector displayed the device letting off a shockwave that engulfed the whole station.

"…and to a predetermined destination. Which in this case, the hangar bay of the Augustus."

"Alright," Fox agreed to all that Alexander said, "We can do that."

Katt smiled, "Very ingenious. So you mutilated a sacred ancient Terminator armour just to get at it's teleportation tech to cobble this thing together?"

Alexander frowned, "Yes, I am feeling ashamed about doing that, Monroe."

"I didn't know you were psychic," she quipped.

"Never said I was," Alexander replied, then thought bitterly, 'God-Emperor, are all feline Kemono as impulsive as she is? How does she know that Space Marine armour is the most valuable piece of steel in the universe?'

"Well," Fox said, "If it would mean the success of this operation in getting this thing aboard the station, then that's what we're gonna do. We'll cover your commandoes rear until they get safely on board."

"And we'll trust they can handle themselves against all the purebred guys in T-shirts carrying flashlights and steroid-pumped misanthropes carrying rocket-propelled machine-guns already crawling around it's halls," Falco added with his trademark cynicism…

…which immediately caused Krystal to stare angrily at him, having referred to Jacques as a 'misanthrope.' That also drew a rather tired looking gaze from Jacques. Falco quickly changed his tune with a quick, innocent whistle and a roll of his eyes.

"Er…no offence, Jacques."

"None taken whatsoever, Lombardi," Jacques responded calmly, "I have been declared worse."

'Stop the presses,' Fox surprisingly thought with his own rare sarcasm and bitterness, "We better get ready. Let's go team."

Star Fox nodded, where as they were leaving the room to head to the hangar, Krystal looked behind her shoulder to see Jacques and Alexander still standing on the stage in the chamber. Jacques noticed her looking at him with her delicate eyes, and gazed back strangely. Alexander watched the exchange between them with rather sentimental curiosity.

"What troubles you, Krystal?" Jacques asked.

"Will you be joining the mission, Jacques?" Krystal asked, turning herself around fully to face him.

Jacques exhaled from his nostrils and smiled softly, "I will be right behind you."

Krystal smiled softly and nodded understandably, surprised at how he could regain control of his mind so quickly after he had practically stopped time with his own thoughts to snatch her and Jakob from being swallowed up by an explosion. That would have put a lot of strain on his complicated mind, having used all that psychic energy and will power in one setting, proving that Jacques was indeed a powerful psyker.

She thought of how he was more powerful than her as she left the chamber, leaving both Jacques and Alexander alone, the Governor-Militant noticing that Jacques was still watching her walk down the corridor towards her waiting team mates, disappearing behind the closing door into the Briefing chamber. He looked over at him, seeing he was still smiling. He narrowed his eyes, disturbed about the fact that this Grey Knight had some sort of kinship with those xeno, especially that vixen.

"That vixen appears to have an attachment to you, Mortensen," Alexander pointed out, sounding as if to make Jacques feel ashamed, "Are you sure that…?"

Jacques smile faded as he turned on him rather abruptly and exclaimed, "Were I in your boots, Governor, I would choose what I would say next with exceptional care!"

Taken back with Jacques turning on him verbally, he said, "Never mind, then. But that's another thing…"

Alexander stepped around him so that he was in front of him.

"…how can we be certain that these mercs can be trusted, as for the Tau we are lugging behind us?"

Jacques dropped his frown and became expressionless, "I was onboard their command ship, working as a fellow mercenary, much like how a **Rogue Trader** would make use of my other brothers long ago. And as you can, I survived."

"But you nearly risked being declared 'damned' for co-existing alongside aliens," Alexander replied, "Or so you told me."

"That I did."

"And the Tau with the Commander Farsight? The traitor to his own cause?"

Jacques frowned again and exhaled behind clinched teeth, turning around and stepping away some, putting himself into deep thought, "I believe for now we can assume he will betray us at first opportunity. But unless I am mistaken…"

He turned around to face Alexander; a dead serious look ebbed on his scarred face.

"…they need us to survive, as much as we need the firepower and the troops their expedition can provide."

"That doesn't relieve me, Mortensen," Alexander said, then tapped his nose twice, "And you know why, Ultramarine. I'm not as tolerant, and somewhat sociable, with non-humans as you are. So forgive me…"

He walked up to him menacingly, and looked up into his eyes with equal menace.

"…if I ever step out of line towards your 'brothers' and your 'sister.'"

Jacques crossed his arms, now looking somewhat disappointed. He sighed, "Your words sadden me, Alexander."

Alexander smirked. He said as he turned around, "Then all of humanity must sadden you, Jacques. Heh, I wouldn't be surprised that you wished you were born an Eldar warlock, or a Kemono fox-man. Anything but what the hell…you are."

He disappeared through another door, not intending to walk the same way as Star Fox did, leaving Jacques standing alone in the Briefing chamber to collect his thoughts, as well as his battered emotions. His mind hung on those words and for moment he thought he begun to experience regret over the words he had just spoken. But then he remembered the necklace he wore and had noticed that Alexander had being staring at it the whole time he said his last words to him.

He reached for it and ran his index finger over it's blue gem.

"No regrets, Alexander," he said to himself, "I feel no regret at all."

----------

Slippy groaned as he felt himself return to consciousness, his delicate head feeling like it was caved in after feeling a Guardsman's lasgun made contact with his skull. He moved his hand to feel his forehead just as the darkness around his vision disappeared and he could see the hanger ceiling, with both Amanda and Beltino practically beaming at seeing him alive, completely unaware that the same Guardsman stood overhead, frowning and holding his lasgun.

"I wouldn't feel your head if I were you, frog," the Guardsman spoke in a cockney accent, startling both Amanda and Beltino, "Your bitch took a while to bandage your thick skull and I wouldn't be fair for you to mess up her delicate work."

Slippy frowned upwards at the Guardsman, who immediately begun steaming and shoving Beltino and Amanda aside, and frightening the other science personnel who saw him aim his lasgun down at Slippy's face.

"Wanna get smart now, motherfucker?" the Guarsdman seethed, "I dare ya', 'phibian!"

"STAND DOWN, PRIVATE!"

The Guardsman looked over towards the Shark dropships and saw that another one had landed. And out stepped General Sturnn accompanied by two well-dressed naval personnel carrying flak-firing **autoguns, **and an emancipated, pained Psyker dressed in standard robes with Force Staff and his helm, which covered the top part of his head. The Guardsman immediately saluted, which did little to ease the frown on the General's face.

"Commissar," Sturnn turned to Plymouth, "Who is this man? I want him on report for badgering prisoners."

"Sir, Private Niel, sir!" the Guardsman sounded off, sounding anxious at being placed 'on report.'

"I didn't ask you," Sturnn silenced the Guardsman roughly, who in turn swallowed slightly in fear, "Commissar?"

"Private Second Class Richter Niel, formally of the **13****th**** Penal Legion,** General," Plymouth answered, "Exonerated of charges of twenty counts of theft, but choosing to remain in service to the Emperor."

Alarmed, Beltino cried, "You've got criminals serving in your army?"

Sturnn smiled and looked his way, "I guess you're the one behind this little operation you've got going."

Beltino's eyes widened, "Er…how did you come to that conclusion?"

The impulsive Guardsman known as Niel stepped away and rejoined his squad as Sturnn frowned, "I figured no one else here would have the guts to speak out besides the head researcher. And unless I'm wrong and you're still sitting down there about to watch your people die…"

"WAIT!" Beltino cried again and stood up, "You are looking at him right now. Just…just tell why you are here, then leave us alone."

Sturnn clicked his fingers and two Guardsmen waded through the sitting crowd and grabbed Beltino by the shoulders and hoisted him upwards so that his feet was dangling in the air as he brought before Sturnn and his entourage. Compared to normal 'purebred' humans, Beltino was like a dwarf to them. The General looked down at the professor as he was dropped before hium, as if he was something that was scraped off his nail-studded boot.

"We're searching for a dangerous heretic to the Imperium who in a act of cowardice took a detour here to Lylat," Sturnn explained, "And by chance while we were pursuing him we had to take a detour of our own."

"Why?" Beltino asked.

"Our Psykers have picked up Eldritch Warp-drive energies escalating from this sector," Sturnn continued, "Tell me, what kind of science projects are you furries working on now?"

Slippy by now had sat groggily back up with some help from Amanda, and he heard clearly what Betlino said next, and angrily.

"If you are suggesting we are experimenting with Chaos," Beltino asserted roughly, "You are cataclysmically mistaken, you narrow-minded cretin!"

Sturnn smiled, "Tell that to the Interrogators when we bring you all aboard our vessels to help us find our heretic. If you cooperate, then afterwards we'll be nice enough to…"

_General, sir._

Sturnn sighed and rolled his eyes, before saying into his communicator, "Scout teams, report."

We've turned the science labs inside out, and besides some xeno prototype weaponry and plasma engines there's no sign of any Chaos material.

_COME AGAIN!_ Admiral Nero's shrill bellow cut through the communication line, causing Sturnn to grind his teeth in annoyance, _What in God-Emperor's name did you say?_

_There's no evidence of Chaos dealings here, Admiral._

Plymouth turned to Sturnn shocked, "But our Psykers told us they sensed the taint."

Sturnn frowned and turned away from Beltino towards his accompanying Psyker, who cowered a bit and gripped hold of his Force staff defensively.

"What can you sense now?" Sturnn demanded.

"I sense Chaos, my lord," the Psyker wheezed, "Foul unclean taint is among us."

"Where?" Sturnn asked, getting frustrated, "On this station? Talk to me, Psyker!"

He was answered when suddenly the area shook violently as multiple laser lance blasts struck the side of the station, causing the civilian personnel to all cry out in fright and Sturnn to nearly topple over, managing to straighten himself quickly. The lights begun to black out for a few seconds as concussions swept everyone off their feet.

Sturnn…general come in! For frig's sake, respond!

"I'm here, Admiral!" Sturnn cried in the radio, "What in hellfire just hit us?"

_Outer sensors just picked up multiple large signals approaching our posi….what in frigs sake?_

"What? Who's attacking us?"

_Five Cornerian battlecruisers…and two Chaos warships! What in the name of the Emperor?_

Sturnn's felt his heart stop in his chest for a full ten seconds due to fright. Bravely he stood upright despite not breathing for that time and not letting it show on his face. Chaos? Here? In the ends of the universe they would find them here?

'It…can't be,' Sturnn thought.

Screams suddenly caught as his attention as he looked to see a dark-blue coloured, gold trimmed Chaos Sorcerer materialised out of thin air, floating right above the panic-stricken civilians, and immediately drawing las-fire from the Guardsmen all around. Without thinking, Sturnn opened up with his storm bolter, but finding that he and his men were hitting nothing but an energy shield.

"Heh heh, pathetic little furballs!" the Sorcerer mocked the civilians cowering nature, "Hold you fear! I only come for one of you."

He then eyed Slippy and reached for him, causing Amanda to scream in torment and rush to him, only to be smacked aside by the Sorcerer's staff, causing her to topple over some more squatting civilians and land flat on her back. Beltino watched in horror as the Sorcerer grabbed Slippy by the throat and hoisted him into the air, somehow sensing that the Sorcerer was crushing his airways.

"GLAK AWWWKKKK…DAD, AMANDA!" Slippy gasped out loud, before screaming, "ARGHHHH!"

The Sorcerer disappeared in a flash, causing a shockwave, which once again sent every Guardsman off his feet. Beltino was the first to get up, instinctively rushing over to where his son was, not concerned about the Guardsman with lasguns currently lying on their backs. Fresh tears welled in his eyes as he felt like his heart was about to stop beating in horror, uncertainty and fatherly distress.

"Dear God Almighty," he spoke softly, shaking gently in his shoes, "Slippy…no."

The power went out again just as another torpedo hit the side of the station, but this time everyone managed to keep their footing on the ground. All Guardsmen still had their lasguns, the navy personnel still clutched their autoguns and Sturnn along with Plymouth were waiting for the worse that was bound to happen.

And it was just about to begin.

----------

"Sweet Emperor!" a crewmember on board the Pacifier's bridge cried out as he saw a Chaos torpedo strike the side of the space station in the distance, removing his headset as he looked away from his console toward Admiral Nero, "My lord! A Chaos-identified presence just beamed on and off board the station."

Nero snapped angrily, "Thank you for the update, Nates."

He then pushed down on a nearby console vox communicator button.

"Sturnn!" he addressed loudly, "What in God-Emperor's name is happening over there? We're detecting Chaos warships approaching your position!"

_Hell if I should damn well know, Admiral! _Sturnn voxed back just as loudly and angrily, _A Sorcerer just snatched one of the kemono scientists, and it's only now courtesy of you that we found out that Chaos cruisers are gunning down on us._

_General Sturnn, Admiral Nero, _Calgar's voice cut through their bickering, startling the two Imperial officers, _Calm yourselves immediately. If Chaos approaches us, we shall be ready for…_

_ARGGGGHHHHHHHHH! NO, PLEASE, ARGHHHHHHH AWKKK!_

Suddenly that hideous scream punctured through the speakers on the bridge, startling and chilling every crewmember's blood, sending Nero stepping back away from the console. Nero didn't recognise the tone of voice as Calgar's, or the voice at all for that matter. Just before he had the chance to ponder some more, the screaming continued, the volume and pitch increasing tenfold.

_MERCY! SWEET EMPEROR ALMIGHTY! ARGHHH…_

_HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!_

'By the Emperor,' he thought, 'Not them. Not…not…'

He shook his head and cried into the communicator, "Every and all available Lightning Strike fighters to your ships immediately. All fleet gunnery crew to your stations NOW! The heretics must pay for attempting to impede our grand mission!"

We hear and we obey, lord.

_Yes sir, Admiral._

----------

Meanwhile on board the Battle-Barge Emperor Incarnatus all available heads jerked upwards to listen to the Chaotic broadcasts that had hacked into their announcements systems, attempting to fill their minds with dread, but failing completely, yet still having a grip on their consciousness' and their souls. One Space Marine grabbed his melta-gun and readied for battle, wanting to vaporise the heretical freak that was laughing.

_HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA AHA HA!_

Tiberius frowned as he stood in the centre of the chamber, holding his Force staff to him as he bowed his head in focus, his closed eyelids flickering as he tapped his mind into the Warp. The Lord Macragge Calgar sat on his throne before him, Cassius standing by, his **Crozius Arcanum** power mace at the ready in case the enemy would dare attempt to board their holy monastery and engage the 1st Company itself.

The Chief Librarian opened his eyes and spoke, "Tis' the **Night Lords**, my Lord Macragge."

"Aye, Chief Librarian," Calgar responded, "I should have known. No other heretical force would announce themselves through death and laughter to induce fear into the hearts of men."

The heretics chose this time to announce themselves 'formally'…

_Lapdogs of the heathen False Emperor, **We have come for you!** Cast down your False idols and your weapons and submit to the power of Chaos Undivided and march under the banner of Warmaster Abaddon. If you shall not join us in spilling the xeno blood of every furry in this system, then your own blood will mix with theirs and will flow like red rivers, and your beating hearts torn from your chests. Make you choice, thought it is already obvious, is it not?_

Calgar stood from his throne and clinched his massive mechanical fists, just hearing the heretics referring to his Emperor as a 'heathen' being enough to raise the temperature of his blood to boiling point, his twin hearts pumping faster to accommodate this.

"Move our fleet as close to the heretics as possible," he ordered out loud, communicating to the bridge section of the barge, "Deep strike a team of Tactical Dreadnought Armour into the nearest ship and redeem EVERYTHING in it with hammer and storm bolter!

Aye, Lord Macragge, the bridge responded, then cried out, Lord Macragge! We are detecting a fleet of eight unidentified ships approaching the sector. Six Imperial warships, one Tau Explorer-class and One Lylat Dreadnought-class frigate.

Cassius turned to Calgar with a smile, "It is our lamented brother, Lord Macragge. He and his followers has come to save these Kemono civilians from his own Imperium."

"And it will not be long until he finds he must do battle with Chaos again," Tiberius added, then approached Calgar and questioned, "Lord Macragge, what should we do about him and the vulpine Fox McCloud?"

Calgar pondered for a brief millisecond, his mind processing hundreds of possibilities in that time, the Space Marine mind being able to make snap, often beneficial, decisions. He stepped forward from his throne, having made up his mind and deciding how he should tell his subordinates, followers and brothers.

"How long will we be in vox range of this incoming fleet?" Calgar asked.

_Approximately one minute, my Lord, _the bridge answered, _Shall we be opening up a communication line to them?_

Calgar nodded, "Aye, brother. Make it happen."

----------

…it is already obvious, is it not?

Two communication officers, a brunette-haired woman and a red-haired younger man, hovering near the radio in the Operations centre of the Augustus felt their mouths agape as they intercepted their transmission. It was almost amusing about the fact that it was by accident while they were adjusting their obsolete technology, the radio equipment itself being eight centuries old.

"Did we…just hear that?" the brunette officer asked, stunned.

Her companion answered, "We did! Aw, crap. Are they what I think I they are?"

Suddenly the door into Operations opened and in stepped an exasperated Alexander escorted by Colonel Vash.

"Report!" Alexander exclaimed.

"We just intercepted a transmission near the target sector, my lord!" the brunette officer stood from her seat and cried, "It's a broadcast from…"

Alexander interrupted her by raising his hand, "We all just heard it over the announcement system, so spare me the recap! Now…"

He turned to the officer standing by the door.

"…current situation?"

The officer saluted and explained, "Long-range sensors detecting five heretical starships bearing down on the Beltino Station. It has already sustained light damage on it's structure. It will need approximately one more torpedo hit to start causing critical damage."

"Thank you, lieutenant," Alexander nodded, then tapped his earpiece communicator and voxed, "Mortensen, McCloud? Did you hear all that?"

I got bored listening five seconds in, came Fox's response, Already I've got an uncomfortable feeling I know what they're after.

"I can guess as well," came Alexander's hurried reply, "Now get your furry asses to the hangar, get prepped and move out if you plan to save your friend."

Rushing towards the hangar area down a familiar looking hallway, Fox and co., accompanied by Jacques, jogged as fast as they can. Fox looked over at Jacques as he spoke into his wrist-communicator, all the while noticing that the Grey Knight was able to run alongside them despite wearing Aesir Grey Knight power armour, and it was his psychic charge abilities that allowed him to move fast.

"We're on our way," Fox responded, then switched off his communicator and complained, "Your friend Alex sure knows how to make a fur feel comfortable."

"He will never change, Fox," Jacques simply replied.

They stepped running as they reached the hangar, finding two dozen Fury fighter craft being prepped and boarded by their flight crews, each consisting of a pilot, a gunner and a Techpriest in between them. Fox immediately wondered as to how they could have so many Techpriests working among these supposed breakaways and rebels to the Imperium, before he noticed Katt being gently pushed aside by a Kasrkin sergeant as he approached Jacques,. This caused him to notice the two teams of Kasrkin standing by near a dropship located away from the Furies.

"Commander," the Kasrkin officer saluted, "I have two commando teams ready for deployment and awaiting orders."

Jacques nodded, "There has being a change of plan, sergeant."

"Sir?"

"It would appear we will not be engaging the Imperial fleet after all."

_You could be right, Brother Mortensen._

Jacques almost gasped upon hearing someone strangely familiar speak through his communicator, catching all those around him off guard. They were surprised to see him hesitantly answer his communicator, even more so to speak into it. Fox could somehow immediately notice what had just tapped Jacques' communication line.

"Lord Macragge?" Jacques responded questioningly.

'I knew it,' Fox thought, 'Let's hope this is just a social call.'

_Aye, brother; I trust you have just heard the Night Lords' broadcast over your own com systems. There would be no doubt every ship in this sector would have picked it up, and had chilled their crews' blood just enough to freeze their hearts._

"We know now what we will be fighting against besides you and the Imperial fleet," Jacques pointed out.

Who said we would have to fight against one another? Calgar asked, Would this not be too good a time to negotiate a cease-fire to combat an even greater, and more realistic, threat?

Jacques smiled, "There would be no other good time."

_Deploy your fighter squadrons immediately,_ Calgar said,_ I will see to it that the Holy ships of the Emperor will not fire upon you. There is certainty that Chaos will deploy their own fighters and once you have mopped them all up, we can attempt to board one of the Chaos-tainted Cornerian frigates._

"Board one of the ships?" Katt cried over the communications line,"Why'd we want to do that?"

Besides it is not only to access their ship's computer to assess the full extent of the Chaos presence here. I believe it is also because one of your own is on board one of those damned flying hulks and will face a slow, painful and somewhat eventual death if you don't plan on saving him, Calgar replied rather menacingly, And if you're there, Fox McCloud, I suggest you speak now.

Fox stepped forward, "Yeah, I'm here Macragge. We're just about to head off now. How can we be sure you guys won't start trying to phase us out of existence?"

_I give you my word, Calgar responded, Just like on Papetoon. Now…_

"We shall be entering the fray momentarily, my lord," Jacques responded, shocking everyone around him by referring to their possible enemy as 'lord', "Please, just make sure the Imperial fleet considers us as friends…at least for now."

_You have my word. For the Emperor._

"For Terra."

Jacques' com switched off, and he was immediately set upon by Falco's somewhat angry glare.

"How can we be sure that the Smurfs are gonna grind us under their boots?" Falco asked, putting emphasis on 'Smurfs'.

"Falco's got a point for once," Fox added, "Can we really trust Calgar not to stab us in the back?"

Jacques nodded and responded calmly, "I trust Calgar with my life, Fox. On my honour, he will keep his word. Our survival depends on it."

Fox turned to Krystal and asked, "What do you think, Krys?"

Krystal sighed and looked back at him delicately, "I'm afraid we don't have a choice, Fox. We need all the help we can get. And this person they already in their hands is counting on us."

"Let's just hope it's not what we think it is," Fox groaned, then cried, "We've wasted enough time! Let's go!"

All flight crews in their Furies activated their fighters' systems and prepared to deploy. The large hangar outer doors opened up slowly to reveal the black that was space. A large, bubble like shield protected everyone from the cold vacuum as those support crew still present on the hangar floor finished supplying the furies with fuel and armaments.

Star Fox headed towards their Arwings and jumped in, the canopies quickly lowering and sealing them in their probable steel coffins, their flight consoles immediately lighting up and coming to life upon sensing their pilots' presence. Krystal pulled out her still sheathed staff and placed it to her side, ready to use in case things require her to leave the cockpit. Falco and Katt did the same with their blasters, before looking at one another through the canopies of their Arwings and giving each other a somewhat loving glance, Katt playfully blowing him a kiss; with Falco repaying with a snide glare.

But before Fox could jump in.

"Wait, Fox. Before you leave…"

The vulpine spun around, where he half expected Jacques to say 'Good luck' or 'Be careful.' Instead his hands stretched instinctively forward to catch a silver-encrusted boltpistol with three additional magazines. He cringed as he struggled to grip the four objects in his hands, not wanting to let them clutter on the floor. Once he held the pistol firmly in his hands and the magazines in the other, he looked at Jacques questioningly.

"You will find that bolter ammunition is far more effective in piercing power armour than laser," Jacques said, "If you come face to face with the fallen Marines again."

Fox smiled and twirled the boltpistol in his hand, stashing the extra magazines in his right pocket, "As if I didn't know that already."

"Give them the Hell they deserve, McCloud," Jacques frowned, "No mercy for heretics."

Fox nodded again, before leaping into the cockpit of his Arwing, buckling himself in as the canopy lowered itself. His flight computers activated automatically, the engines and G-Diffusers systems warming themselves up also. He looked over to each side to see Falco, Katt and Krystal also readying themselves, whilst sensing that Jacques was stepping away from the Arwings as the hangar bay doors opened, the shields preventing the vacuum from seeping in.

The pilots of the Furies fired up their engine drives while the gunners readied their deadly weapon. The Techpriest in fighters prepared themselves to maintain the hull of each ship internally. Jacques stepped over towards the nearest Shark Bay dropship, the entry ramp down and his commandoes waiting for him with their weapons drawn, the sergeant clutching both a hell pistol and a sword.

_All ships ready for launch, Commander_, one of the staff informed him from the observation station above the hangar

Jacques tapped his earpiece and spoke, his voice projecting into the hangar, "_You may proceed with the operation. I wish you courage, and best of luck."_

Fox's eyes narrowed as he gripped his controls and smiled devilishly, "Alright! LET'S GO, TEAM!"

Jacques swore he heard Falco let out a deafening, hollering 'whoaaaaaaa' over the com channels (which nearly blew out the eardrums of every headset-wearing technician and support staff present) as the Arwings sped down the runway of the Augustus. They broke through the bubble-like shield at top speed, where they blasted off into the blackness of space.

The Furies all followed Star Fox into space, each of the crews feeling confident that not only they wouldn't have to fight their fellow Imperial humans and instead more of the dire forces of Chaos, but that Star Fox was leading them. They had heard stories of these heroic xeno pilots and how these four individuals wiped out the entire Aparoid race before they could become a threat to the Imperium along with the likes of the Tyranids.

The main pilot of the leading Fury right behind the Arwings looked straight forward, seeing the aliens lead them away from the fleet, the space station and the approaching Imperial fleet in the distance. His radars begun picking up Chaos warships not far away and immediately felt dread. His face was completely covered in an oxygen mask save for his eyes, his hands firmly on his controls.

_You flyboys behind us?_

The pilot recognised the voice of the avian known as Falco Lombardi and was immediately (and already) annoyed at his perpetual laid-back attitude. He wondered as to how this blue bird could sound so calm in the face of much adversity, but then again the avian kemonos had always being known for their bravery, which would explain how many of them could have taken the destruction of their homeworld relatively calmly.

"This is Flight Commander Owen to Star Fox," the pilot responded after his train of thought departed, "We are currently on your six and will engage Chaos force once they are in range. Over?"

_We copy that, Commander, _the vulpine known as Fox McCloud responded, _Thanks for reminding us we're not going at it alone against these bastards._

Owen snorted and chuckled, "Heh, don't mention it. Commander Mortensen made mention of your deeds all over your side of the universe, and being Eden born I'm taking his word for it."

_All ships, maintain vox silence until we engage the enemy, _Alexander cut in over the communications, _McCloud, I trust you won't disappoint us._

_Count on it, Governor_

Katt smirked as she took personally accepted the challenge "Sit back, relax and enjoy the show, honey."

Commander Owen, try to come back alive, Jacques now spoke, It would be a tragedy if you and your crews all fell.

"We'll do our best, Commander," Owen frowned and nodded, "Hail to the Emperor."

By now Jacques and his two commando teams in their Shark Bay dropships were now flying through the blackness of space, a safe distance away from the escort Furies up front. Jacques stood in the leading dropship, surrounded by the elite soldiers of planet Cadia. There were ten Kasrikin commandoes around him, two armed with plasma rifles while another two were armed with grenade launchers, the rest armed with deadly hell-lasers. Another ten commandoes were in the other dropship.

"For the Emperor!" the Grey Knight and the commandoes all bellowed.

Way up the front the space fighters, both Arwing and Fury alike, all accelerated towards the conflict zone, which was steadily become hotter by the second. Every pilot saw this, but what Katt saw nearly froze her heart solid.

_Hey_, Katt cried over the coms, _I'm detecting Cornerian fighters transponder signals from the Chaos ships._

Wide-eyed, Fox responded sharply, "Huh? What?"

_Chaos is deploying it's masses of cultists and converts to destroy us, _Jacques calmly cut in, _Which is no surprise, as they see the value of the aeronautically trained._

Fox closed his eyes and lowered his head and banged it gently on his dashboard in self-defeat, cursing under his breath. He never thought he would ever have to fight against his own fellow Lylatians, even if they have now being corrupted by the taint.

He growled angrily and whispered softly, "Despoiler, you'll pay for every one of those pilot's death this day! I promise you that for sure!"

----------

From Slippy's point of view, all was completely dark; the smell was terrible, as if whatever room he was standing stank of rotting meat; he heard nothing but his own quickened heartbeat and harsh breathing, and to make matter worse he felt a cold, metal hand on left shoulder. He felt the hand immediately dug it's fingers into his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain just as the satchel bag over his head was removed and everything became clear.

He comically felt the pupils of his eyes dilute and his mouth widen, feeling like he no longer could hold his bowels as he found himself surrounded by four huge blue/gold coloured Chaos Space Marines, their helmets removed to reveal their disturbed, defiled faces glaring down at him. He looked to his side to find it was the Chaos Sorcerer that had brought him here, and had now retracted his hand. He felt himself melt into the ground as he stared up into the Psyker's eyes.

"Is this it?" one of the Chaos Marines cried out angrily, "You brought back one little Toad the size of a squat?"

Slippy cried out as he backed against the wall away from the Marines, realising he was in a small dungeon-like chamber complete with chains, numerous torture device and the rotting corpse of a Cornerian office stretched out on a rack. Seeing that he body's joints of his arms and legs all but ripped out, it was then that Slippy became nauseous as he covered his mouth in shock.

Another dark-skinned Marine frowned, "It would appear the little xeno is starting to feel uncomfortable already…and he should…"

The Marine then stepped forward and grabbed Slippy by the throat, lifting him in the air. He turned to the Sorcerer and finished his sentence.

"…if you don't tell us how he could put himself to good use in the name of Chaos?"

The Sorcerer surprisingly didn't sound confident or smug when he answered, "I peeked into his mind. His knowledge of gravitational stabilisers and engine drives could be put to good use by the cults of Infernis."

'Infernis?' Slippy thought, having recognised the name of a supposed dead world somewhere in the eastern fringes of the Lylat System, '_Cults_ of Infernis What the hell?'

"Well, if it will help those slobbering furs in speeding up construction, then so bet it," the Chaos Marine growled and let go of him, "Take him aboard one of the cult's ships while I inform our captain."

As ordered, the Sorcerer stepped forward and grabbed Slippy the scruff of his suit, and tapped the blunt end of his staff as they disappeared in a red flash, the terrified frog screaming in panic once again. The Chaos Marines then turned on their heels and left the room. They headed towards the bridge and all but pushed the door off their hinges as they stepped in and found the captain, a well built blond-haired 'normal' human officer still dressed in his blood-stained Imperial uniform from 10,000 years ago, waiting for them.

"The Sorcerer has acquired one of the more intelligent furs from the station, just as the Despoiler commanded," the Marine reported, "He has been delivered to one of the Cornerian battlecruisers as we speak."

The officer smirked, "Excellent. We will now about face and return to Infernis. We will leave the furs here for the Imperial heathens…"

As he turned around to face the bridge window he saw that the Imperial fleet and nearly a hundred Imperial fighters were bearing down on them. He felt his throat go dry as he feared that the Night Lord Space Marine under his charge had intimidated the Imperial's to the brink of retaliation. His fears were confirmed when a barrage of missiles hit the bridge and destroyed it, incinerating everyone in it and crippling the ship.

The remaining Chaos ships all reversed themselves away from the advancing Imperial fleet and away from the station. Immediately their hangar bay doors all opened and out swarmed hundreds of Y shaped **Chaos Claw **fighters and the Tainted Cornerian fighters, their pilots all seething madly, minds completely (and literally) warped by the Ruinous Powers.

The transmissions between the Cornerian fighters could easily be heard over any communication system…

_Look at them all…big fucking hulks of floating human steel!_

_Chaos demands their destruction. Their oversized lasers can't hit us_

…which goes to show the level of insanity the **Tainted Cornerians **how slunk to. All this amused Nero as he saw the fleet's entire fighter craft fly past the Pacifier bridge windows. He crossed his arms and smirked, where a brief glimpse of a Lightning Fighter caught his attention for a split second, before he looked straight back ahead and smiled widely.

"Status?" Nero then asked.

"All available fighters have been deployed, my lord," one of the main pilots responded, "Hey, hang on…"

"What?" Nero questioned, "What is it now, pilot?"

"My sensors are detecting incoming Imperial Furies from the west of us, led by four Lylatian Arwings bearing down on us at full speed."

"Radar?"

"He's right, sir!" the radar officer exclaimed from behind his console, the green light emitting from his console radiating in his face, "Incoming Imperial fighters are approaching."

Nero gritted his teeth and looked out the window, "It's them! The Children of Eden…and Star Fox."

_You should count this as a blessing, my lord Admiral, _Calgar's voxed in, _There is no way possible any of our brothers would abandon his own race, especially in the sight of Chaos._

Nero glanced out the window to see the Arwings and the Furies gradually getting into sight range. He frowned…

"But they're damned for daring to consort with xenos. I am ordering the fleet to open fire on them."

_**I**__ recommend for now we keep our cannon fire off them, at least until after we have dealt with these warp-spawned cretins._ _We need all the ships we can get._

Now Nero was confused, "But we have more than enough…"

_Trust me._

Nero clinched his fists and came close to screaming out in frustration. There was no use in arguing with the Adeptus Astartes – the Emperor's Chosen. He rubbed his forehead and stepped over to the communication console and the officer behind it.

"Sir?"

"Establish contact with the lead Arwing."

----------

Fox saw and heard the Arwing's communicator light bleeping on his dashboard, the system not recognising the source from anywhere familiar. He appeared to ignore it as he continued to fly towards the Imperial fleet and the hundreds of fighters on stand by, waiting for the order to attack the Chaos ships which slowly approached them.

_Aren't you going to answer that, Fox? _Krystal asked.

Fox did so, pressing the button and hearing a haughty, tired yet hostile tone of voice come out of the speakers.

This is Admiral Dylanis Nero of the Imperial Expeditionary Force to the xeno Star Fox. Acknowledge this transmission now!

"This is Fox McCloud, head of the Star Fox team," Fox responded with a frown, "You are violating the terms of the Imperium/Lylat **Treaty of Kew** and are at risk being engaged in self-defence. Withdraw all your ships towards the Lylatian border and retreat to Kew immediately."

_Not until we have dealt with the Chaos forces in this sector first, then we will consider leaving your pitiful galaxy, _Nero responded coolly, _With the traitors in tow to await judgement._

_Until then, Admiral, _Alexander now chimed in, before feeling cynical, _Why don't we deal with our common enemy first? Then we can discuss if we should hand ourselves over._

The line was silent for a few seconds, indicating to Fox that this Admiral Dylanis Nero was contemplating Alexander's words. He heard a sigh, before Nero said, _That is acknowledgeable. Join up with our fleet's fighter squadrons and join the fray._

Fox smiled, "Glad we've come to an understanding. All right, all ships advance and link up with the Imperial squadron right away. Those Chaos craft aren't going to wait for us all day."

With Star Fox in the lead the Eden ships all accelerated forward and met up with the Imperial Lightning strike fighters and Starhawk bombers, the latter equipped with enough high-powered missiles to crack open a strike cruiser. The ships then all mingled amongst one another, assuming attack formation, both their Imperial and Eden pilots immediately becoming distrustful with each other.

The two Shark Bay dropships carrying Jacques and his Karskrin teams joined up with the fighters as well. But they were careful to stay behind as the situation was going to be hostile any second now, and the dropship's minimal weapon systems wasn't going to be enough to handle an entire wing of enemy fighters.

Within the leading dropship and watched by the commandoes nearest him, Jacques immediately closed his eyes and focused, before reaching for the nearest communicator. He then spoke into it whilst still in deep focus…

"Fox?"

_Copy, Jacques._

…which Fox immediately could tell as he listened to him.

_Fox, _Jacques said, _I can sense the civilian hostage among that small fleet. By the Emperor…!_

Fox was then startled, "What?"

_It is Slippy, he is being held by the Night Lords!_

Damn it! Falco blurted over the coms in a frustrated rage, I knew that stupid frog would get himself in yet another fucked-up situation…

Angrily, Fox cried, "Enough! Jacques, Krystal, you can sense which ship he is one.

In her cockpit, Krystal closed her eyes as she tried to focus, but finding that more horrible, Chaotic visions were beginning bombard her as she scoured over the Choas fleet with her mind. Tears seeped through her closed eyes as she forced herself to witness the atrocities that the Chaos Space Marines were committing in Lylat as she bravely tapped into the Warp.

Eventually after a full half-minute she couldn't handle the vision of a child being tossed over a city wall from her mother's arms. She gasped out loud and opened her eyes, gripping her flight controls tightly and protectively. She was weeping, distressed beyond her years as a young woman.

_Kry…Krystal?_ Jacques communicated worryingly, _Respond._

"I…I can't sense him," Krystal cried out sadly, "The Warp…it's…it's too much to bear…"

ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT…!

Krystal stopped weeping when she heard Fox's loud, exasperated exclamation. Fox cracked his knuckles and focused on the approaching Chaos fleet, with hundreds of Imperial fighters and his team behind his back.

"All allied ships to me," Fox ordered, "Engage all hostile fighters. Clear the way for the Sharks to get in range of the Chaos fleet."

Roger that, McCloud.

_On our way, commander._

_If we must, xeno. All ships, follow Star Fox. FOR THE EMPEROR!_

The Chaos fighters and Death Claws all launched their payloads of missile towards the approaching allied fighters. They all immediately performed evasive manoeuvres as the missiles exploded around them. Falco squinted his eyes, trying to reduce the glare the explosions in space were letting off. He cursed out loud…

"ARGHH! DAMN!"

…and deployed a Smart Bomb which homed in on one of the leading Taitned Cornerian fighters. The cultist pilot inside let out a shrill cry of terror as the bomb struck the hull of his ship and detonated, destroying him and four other Cornerian fighters and two more Chaos Death Claws. The Imperial warships behind them begun firing their massive lance cannons as they neared the small Chaos fleet approaching the station, which returned fire.

Krystal gripped his controls as she said flustered, "Good luck, Fox."

_You too, Krystal,_ came Fox's haughty reply.

"Jacques."

_We will survive this! _Jacques' response came over her com, _We MUST survive this!_

The Arwings, Eden Furies, Imperial Lightning Attack fighters, Chaos Cornerian fighters and Death Claws all engaged in a massive dogfight, spurting laser and missile fire which lit up the darkness that was space. Fox gritted his teeth as he tried to stay in his focus, picking his targets carefully to make sure he wouldn't hit either Eden or Imperial ships. A Death Claw was immediately on his tail, prompting him to perform a sideways loop and blast the claw to oblivion.

Krystal locked on and fired a homing blast on a Cornerian fighter, barrel-rolling to avoid pieces of scrap metal that came her way as a result, which hit the other Chaos fighter tailing her and throwing it off guard. She then did a U-turn and engaged the Death Claw and fired, the laser piecing through the hull and hitting the pilot, splattering him before his fighter was destroyed.

Katt smiled as she tailed a Death Claw and was about to take it out when immediately a las-blast courtesy of a Eden Fury destroyed it, the fighter zooming past Katt's Arwing, nearly colliding with her as well as giving her the shock of her life.

"Hey, that was mine!" Katt exclaimed annoyed.

_Heh, too slow kitty, _came the Fury gunner's response.

"You challenging me, humie?" Katt growled playfully.

_Less talking more blasting, Benedict, _the Fury's pilot interjected, before crying out, _Damn it, got hit! And you too, feline._

"Whoops, my bad!"

Fox looked around himself to see fighters, both friendly and allied alike, going up against one another ferociously, laser and plasma blasts exchanging between them. The Imperial warships were now in completely range with the Chaos starships and were firing their deadly torpedoes and letting their lance cannons tell Chaos what the Imperium really thought of the heretics.

One of the Chaos strike cruisers immediately disabled as it received five simultaneous lance strikes against the bridge, rendering it as a inactive, rapidly decompressing metal husk. At that, Fox noticed that one of the Tainted Cornerian battlecruisers begun to reverse away from the rest of the fleet and away from the space station and the battle. Fox immediately has a brainwave.

"Hey!" he exclaimed over the coms, "I think Slippy may be on board that ship that's trying to play truant!"

_How can you tell, Kemono? _Nero asked.

"Instincts!" Fox seethed, "Team Star Fox, on me. We need to disable that Cornerian battlecruiser."

_We're on our way, Fox, _Falco cried, _Just let us blast our through these last load of…OI…C'MERE YOU FUCKER!_

Krystal, Katt and Falco fought their way towards Fox, blasting their way through Cornerian and Chaos fighter alike, their lasers exploding them all around. Once they regrouped and reformed, they gunned their way towards the fleeing Cornerian battlecruiser, as it was turning around to flee the other way from the battle, exposing it's ion thrusters to them, and presenting the perfect opportunity for them to stop it.

_No need to say anything_, Katt startled Fox over the com, _It's already done._

Fox smiled as they continued to speed after the battlecruiser, already firing their lasers which made contact with the cruiser's thrusters, immediately destroying one of them and drastically slowing it. Fox fired a smart bomb and pulled up and flew upwards away from the battlecruiser just in time as it exploded, taking out the rest of the boosters and immobilising it.

_Good job, Fox, _Krystal congratulated him with a smile, then said, _Jacques?_

_Krystal._

You and the Kasrkin can board that thing and get Slippy out now.

_We'll gladly do that, ma'am,_ the Kasrkin sergeant interrupted, _If we can get inside. Sensors are detecting it's hangar doors are sealing themselves shut._

Fox flew to the side of the immobilised battlecruiser, picking off Cornerian fighters as he saw what the sergeant said was true, as the cruiser's hangar doors closed and sealed shut. He banged his dashboard in frustration and cursed out loud, quickly turning off his com for a second so that no one else could hear him. When he turned it back on.

_Fox!_ Krystal exclaimed alarmingly, _What happened? We lost you for a se…_

"I'm fine," Fox haughtily replied, "Now we've got to find a way to get inside that battlecruiser."

_And you better make it quick, Kemono, _Nero stated madly, _We're losing more ships just keeping them off your transport's backs._

Fox bit his lip as he tried to think of what they should do next, despite those hangar doors into the Tainted Cornerian battlecruiser being the only way they could land two dropships filled with Eden/Kronus commandoes and able to rescue Slippy. Strangely he somehow knew that Slippy was on board that formally fleeing ship and was glad that the Imperium hadn't destroyed it yet.

He felt a shockwave go past him, where he turned to the side to find one of the other Cornerian battlecruisers has now being destroyed, having sustained massive damage from the far superior Imperial fleet. The other Chaos cruisers were now being slowly picked off and Fox wondered if it was pure, suicidal madness that they would dare to try and engage a fleet much bigger than their own.

_McCloud,_ a familiar voice made itself known over his com, _Are you receiving me, vulpine?_

Fox shook his head and put himself out of his thoughts, "Aun'shi?"

Perhaps we can be of assistance, commander.

----------

Within the control room of the Infinity, Aun'shi stood behind a seated La'Jakob as he typed furiously away at his console, a look of determination crossed his face as he moved his left hand to adjust his communication headset. The screen before him showed a image of the Cornerian battlecruiser that Star Fox was attempting to assault, and where Slippy had found himself within the bowels of. Aun'shi looked at the screen, before looking down at the gue'la.

"Time permitting, we will be able to breach that particular Cornerian vessel's internal systems and force those doors open," Aun'shi continued, walking away from Jakob in order to pace the floor of the control room, "And allow you and the righteous gue'la access to rescue you friend.

Fox sounded astounded when he asked, "Can you really do that?"

Jakob smiled and said, "There is nothing the Greater Good cannot accomplish, McCloud."

_La'Jakob? _Krystal asked surprisingly, _You could do this?_

Jakob narrowed his eyes as he continued typing. "If I can't kill the enemies of existence myself, then the least I can do is make their lives unbearable."

_Nice philosophy,_ Nero sounded off, sounding disturbed, _I never thought traitors could find the time to think you do, man Tau._

Now Jakob frowned, feeling anger boil his blood at being called a traitor, despite not betraying anyone. Oh, how he hated the Imperial human way of thinking, where nothing matters to them except worrying about being betrayed, causing vast amounts of death and destruction and enslaving their own people…all in the name of their Emperor.

It was Aun'shi's calm voice that settled his nerves. The elder Tau stepped to his side and said reassuringly, "Do not let his words bring despair down on your righteous mind, La'Jakob. He can not understand what he says, being of the typical Imperial mind. "

Jakob looked up to him, where he smiled and nodded. He then turned back to the screen and said, "Mortensen?"

I am here, La'Jakob.

"Ready yourself, Grey Knight," Jakob told him, "You'll be on board that corrupted hulk in…er…"

He squinted at the screen and saw that the hangar bay doors control system was now hacked and a small One-Minute Timer Display revealed itself, counting down slowly. This effectively told him that the battlecruiser's defensive firewalls would give way in that short amount of time and he will be able to gain full control of the ship. And that would bring about a lot of 'nifty' opportunities in making the enemies' lives more 'unbearable.'

_You were saying how long? _Falco queried annoyingly.

"Fifty-five seconds," Jakob responded, "You just need to keep those damn flies of your dropships; backs until then."

_That won't be a problem, _Krystal said, then added with much appreciation, _Thank you again._

Jakob smiled, "You can thank me once this is over, Krystal."

----------

As he watched the explosive battle continue from the bridge, Nero looked as angry as any Imperial officer would at the brink of major defeat. As what appeared to be distant laser lightshow happening before, him he couldn't believe that this was to happen at all. His own forces were allied with aliens and traitors in holding off the Forces of Chaos from laying waste to a xeno space station filled with heretical (not to mention more alien) technology, and to save a singular life for which already have already fallen, mainly good pilots.

"Lord Macragge," he shouted to the vox communicator, "Tell me your Terminators are ready for Deep Strike onto the nearest Chaos warship, with a Techmarine standing by to accompany them."

_Be patient, Admiral,_ came Calgar's cool response, _We will know what the extent of Chaos' taint in Lylat will be. Just be patient, and trust in the lives of these so-called traitors and their xeno allies…as much as myself hates to admit._

Nero twitched his nose and clasped his hands together behind his back, 'You better, Calgar.'

----------

Thirty seconds to entry, Star Fox. Keep it up…

Team Star Fox continued to give the attacking Cornerian fighters and Chaos Claws hell, annihilating their fighter craft one by one, with Eden and Imperial craft at their side. Krystal took it upon herself to personally defend the transports carrying Jacques and his Kasrkin commando team, intent on not letting her brother fall, despite the fighters' surprisingly apparent disinterest in attacking them. Jacques noticed that immediately.

Standing in the centre of the transport cabin surrounded by his men, Jacques' spoke in the vox, "Krystal, we are near the transports and are clear from danger. Fox may need your support more than we do."

Suddenly the transport rocked as a laser blast struck it's hull. Krystal immediately saw that a group of Chaos claws were heading straight for them, lascannon's blazing. She silently prayed for strength before accelerating forward. She fired away at them, destroying the centre fighter and scattering them, prompting her to pursue each one individually and wipe them off the universal map, feeling vengeance course through her system.

With each passing second, she hated Chaos even more. Not just for destroying her homeworld, her family and her people, but for attempting to take away the last thing that mattered to her. Jacques…she then felt an otherworldly presence into her mind and soothe her gently, before hearing his voice in her head.

_Please calm yourself, Krystal, _Jacques telepathically said to her reassuringly, _I will survive this. You are not one to give in to such negative emotions._

Krystal breathed in gently and nodded, before replying back mentally, _I'll stay focused, then. Thank you._

Immediately as proof of her recovered focus she barrel-rolled to avoid a blast of laser from another pursuing Chaos claw, before sharply turning and blasting the tainted fighter out from existence.

Fox and Falco continued to give it their all, not remembering the last time they were in a space battle of this magnitude. Falco pursued a Chaos claw and fired off a homing blast and destroyed it, before performing a loop to shake off the tailing Cornerian fighter, before firing off his deadly blue laser and taking it out.

Fifteen seconds…

Fox barrel-rolled to deflect a barrage of las-fire from another group of Chaos claws, the sweat running down his forehead and into his eyes, blinking them away as he continued to pilot his flying piece of metal, it's supposed Machine Spirit straining to keep it together. He performed a U-turn to shake off the claw, flying straight towards a Tainted Cornerian fighter. He gripped his controls tightly and fired some more, eradicating it.

Five seconds…

The Eden Shark transports were only metres away from the stricken Cornerian battlecruiser, under escort from Krystal. Falco and Katt mopped up the fighters that were still hanging around before they regrouped, and heard Jakob announce…

_Get ready for 'everything', Star Fox, _Jakob reminded him, then reported, _Opening bay doors._

Slowly the hangar doors leading into the Cornerian battleship opened slowly and painfully, revealing a dank, dark-looking bay with numerous Cornerian fighters still in dry-dock, surrounded by numerous Chaos-warped Cornerian troopers and Chaos Space Marines. The Cornerians eyes were jet-black and pupil less with Undivided power, their sharpened teeth bared as they seethed uncontrollably like the wild beasts they have much less reverted to.

Determination was now present on Fox's face as the bay doors opened and the Arwings hovered outside, joined by the dropship. The Tainted Cornerians and Chaos Marines scattered around the bay raised their blaster rifles and boltguns, preparing to fire. Fox felt his own trigger fingers beginning to itch with each passing millisecond until they literally became irritated.

"Hang on, Slippy," Fox muttered to himself, "We're coming!"

* * *

**So what do you think? I apologise if the final parts seem a little rushed. Keep an eye out for the revisions on my previous chapters, which I will no doubt up load soon.**

For now, here is a little something extra…the biographies of the characters, both good, not so good, and downright evil. Here's how I would describe both Star Fox and WH40K characters and their standing so far in the story. Enjoy reading, and stay tuned.

GamerJay out…

**Cast**

**Order**

**----------**

_The Protagonists_

(A/N: Still can't decide who is the main protagonist. I think they both deserve equal billing.)

Fox McCloud

The young, bold yet brave leader of the Star Fox team, the space-faring band of mercenaries who have saved Lylat countless times from threats inside and out, he has long since proven to be just as charismatic and resourceful like his father – the legendary James McCloud. Before he came into contact with his spiritual brother Jacques Mortensen he has never seen the worst war has to offer, especially in the neighbouring 'Gothic Sector'.

But afterwards, all of that changed, with him enduring, yet managing to survive the Venomian Remnants, an Ork WAAAGH! led by Warlord Gorgutz 'ead unter', the Forces of Chaos…and most terrifying of all: The Imperium of Man and their legions of genetically-engineered super soldiers. All of this standing alongside his friends, Star Fox's newest recruit Jacques and the love of his life, Krystal.

But now his skills and experience as a leader, a pilot and a fighter are needed more then ever as the Chaos Warmaster Abaddon the Despoiler himself targets his home system to launch his 14th Black Crusade. Can he lead Star Fox, and possibly the Lylat system, to victory once again; or is it time for him to join his beloved father in death. Though he knows that if he dies, his friends will be not be far behind him.

Jacques Mortensen

The sole surviving Space Marine of the doomed Cerinia Conflict which costed the lives of the entire Ultramarine 2nd Company and his Captain, the noble, charismatic and seemingly ageless Jacques Mortensen has made it his life's mission to protect Crown Princess Krystal. As originally assigned by his Grand Master and the Emperor of Mankind. He was responsible for getting her off her doomed homeworld and bequeathing her staff. He considers her to be the closest thing he has to a best friend and a loved one and will strike down anyone who dares to even wave a finger at her, with the trademark brutality and zealotry that defines a Space Marine.

A very powerful Psyker, he also seeks to prove to the universe that there is still compassion, kindness and humility left in humanity. And he has proven that time and time again through his noble, charismatic personality, his cause to preserve all life from being eradicated and his undying faith in the Emperor of Mankind. And the sheer malice and brute force he inflicts on those evildoers who dare to threaten those he cares for…which is Star Fox, the only family he has now.

Through a bizarre string of events he has now become a Grey Knight, an Inquisitorial Space Marine who has sworn to hunt down the corruption that is Chaos and purge it from existence. Though his friends and allies are in marvel of him and his new abilities and his increased determination to do what he thinks is right, he doesn't seem to be all that happy about himself, for all the right reasons.

To the majority of both the Kemonos of the Lylat System and the citizenry of the Imperium, plus his own chapter, he is a hero and a high-servant of the Emperor, but he doesn't see himself as either of those. To the agents and lords of the Inquisition he is a naive, misguided traitor and heretic. He in return he sees them as hypocrites and his enemies.

**----------**

Krystal

Young, compassionate and caring best describes the cerulean vixen known as Krystal, a survivor of her doomed homeworld of Cerinia, destroyed by the Forces of Disorder when she was just eight. Years later she would join the mercenary Star Fox team following an incident on the planet Sauria and was critical to the destruction of the Aparoids. She has since made a name for herself not just through her upstanding qualities as part of Team Star Fox, but for her near Angelic beauty that only comes from a Cerinian. She hates to see a person suffer and wishes that she never has to kill anyone, even if she has to.

Drawing her power from both the ancient source for her people found within the elements and of the more potent, powerful Warp; she prefers the former, but is extremely sensitive to the latter, allowing her to see and hear things that would be considered unnatural. And with the arrival of the Forces of Chaos under Warmaster Abaddon, she is about to enter her own personal hell besides her fight with the enemy, where she is prepared to slick her elemental staff with their blood and phase out their corruption.

She has displayed a fair degree of respect to the human Space Marines (more accurately the Ultramarines) and the Emperor of Mankind. The two most important men in her life are Fox McCloud and Jacques Mortensen – whom for the latter she shares a deep spiritual and emotional bond with and owes him her life…and love.

Falco Lombardi

Brash, cynical and uncompromising, Falco rose from a life of crime along with Katt Monroe to become the ace pilot of the Star Fox team. Though it is hard for him to keep his tongue behind his beak and tends to say the wrong things at the wrong times he is respected immensely for his devotion to his team and to his friends. He considers Fox and the others the only family he has following the tragic loss of his family and homeworld Falconia to both the Chaos Cults and the Imperium of Man.

Because of this he has a near-paralysing fear of humanity, which he manages to hide very well behind his complicated, tough exterior. It somewhat cracked when he was forced to put up with Star Fox's newest member, the Space Marine known as Jacques Mortensen, with the human realising the avian's bitterness for him, but immediately understanding why. As a result, both Falco and Jacques treated each other passively.

But gradually Falco learnt to accept Jacques and realised that even though he was one of the 'bastards'; he was not like them at all, and they eventually made peace.

Slippy Toad

Referred to as an amphibian Techpriest, Slippy has not only served Star Fox as it's chief engineer, but as Fox's childhood playmate and friend. Whilst incredibly intelligent and handy with all sorts of mechanical devices and toys, he is somewhat poor and disorganised when it comes to fighting, opting to (hilariously unwillingly) draw enemy fire during space combat with his Arwing. Or continuing to fire his shotgun while stepping back when fighting Venomian 'Jacques' Clone Marines, much to the (understandable) chagrin of his fellow teammates and allies.

It would appear that the Adeptus Mechanicas' Machine God, as well as the Machine Sprit, really _is_ with Slippy, as it is his mechanical expertise that as led Star Fox to victory many times. As for his considered cowardice, there are times when his true bravery shines through, and that is when victory is assured for the Forces of Order.

Peppy Hare

Fox's mentor and oldest friend, Peppy Hare had taken Fox under his wing following the cub's tragic loss of his father many years before, betrayed by a treacherous team-mate. He has served a both a pilot and a strategist for the Star Fox team. Though just before the events of this current year he had given up piloting due to his advanced age, and relegated to just support the pilots in the field from his chair back on the Great Fox.

With General Pepper's forced retirement he has now taken over as the head of the Cornerian military, where he has spent much of his time studying Imperial battle tactics, in order to counter them when the time comes when they do invade the Lylat System and the galaxy from which it was located. What he didn't count on was legions of Chaos Space Marines and Cultists to invade Corneria directly from the Beltino Orbital Gate.

Following the successful invasion, his current status is unknown for now.

La'Jakob

Full name: Shas'la Calth Jakob Sho'ka Guela. An upstanding young man of 21 years, he is a Gue'vesa (Human Helper) of the Tau Empire and a firm believer and follower of the unifying philosophy of Tau'va – the Greater Good. What is known of him is that he is kind, friendly, intelligent, philosophical and determined; with barely suppressed urges to kill Imperial humans as according to him they are the worse things to ever happen to the universe.

What makes him stand out from other Tau Auxiliaries is that he fights directly alongside the Tau as a 'Fire Warrior', and is part of Aun'shi's entourage in search of the Farsight Enclaves, which has brought them to the Lylat System. Unlike his Tau 'brothers' he is also a rock-hard martial artist specialising in fighting manoeuvres similar but not limited to jujitsu, kung fu, kickboxing and judo. His manoeuvres are so quick and extraordinaire he was able to stun a Chaos Alpha Legion Raptor before striking the killing blow of Mont'ka.

Besides being forced to fight alongside humans, particularly the infamous Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander of Kronus and the mysterious Grey Knight known as Jacques Mortensen, much to his shame; he has become intrigued by the cerulean vixen known as Krystal, particularly her attachment to Jacques. Somehow he feels he has met her before, but cannot think of where…

Beltino Toad

Slippy's father and the head of Cornerian Research & Development who was crucial to the destruction of the Aparoid menace a year ago. The head of the Beltino Research Station at the outer edge of Lylat near Aquas, not a day goes by that he worries the one day humanity will invade Lylat, starting with him, his son and his future daughter-in-law Amanda.

General Sturnn

Formally a highly-decorated General of the Cadian Military, Sturnn had lost most of his honours following his massive defeat on Lorn V due in part to the Eldar of Craftworld Ulthwe having interfered in his mission to recover the superweapon known as the Titan Dominatus. A grizzled, stern yet honourable and upstanding man, he commands the Cadian 412th Regiment and he is credited for being one of few humans to tolerate the presence of the Eldar…at least until his last mission where he attempted to exact revenge against the escaped Inquisitorial prisoner Farseer Taldeer.

Now after 10 long years, he and the 412th have been assigned once again. This time to hunt down the Children of Eden, the survivors from the heretical xeno world of Eden, who have now fled to the Lylat System in a neighbouring galaxy one million light years from the Pacifius Segmentum. Wanting to regain his honour, he accepts the mission with little hesitantly, once again partnered with his old friend Commissar Plymouth.

But what he will find there will change his outlook on life and honour forever…

Farseer Taldeer

Known as the Dreamer of Ulthwe, the Farseer Taldeer has had a most turbulent life at the hands of both the Forces of Disorder and even those of Order, especially with Mon-keigh, the near derogatory Eldar term for humanity. While she cares deeply for his brothers and sisters and all Eldar, she doesn't feel the same way towards other species, believing them to be ignorant of the threats that could enslave and destroy them, especially from the Forces of Chaos and the C'tan and their armies of Necron slaves.

It was her underestimation of the Imperium, and the Imperial Guard, that led to her downfall on Kronus a decade ago, where her forces were decimated while attempting to quell the Necron infestation. Resulting factors led to her and her kin being stranded on the planet and systemically picked off by the humans, her being the only survivor. She was then captured, drugged, and like an animal hauled off to the Inquisition to be 'questioned'.

But somehow, she is now free and once again leads Craftworld Ulthwe against the entire universe…in a bid to stop them from destroying themselves. And it would appear she has found a most likely ally in the 'Archon of Eden' – Jacques Mortensen…

Lord Macragge Marneus Calgar

The veteran Grand Master of the Ultramarines, the current 'Lord Macragge' has led the warriors of Ultramar to victory for hundreds and hundreds of years. From the Tyranid Wars on Macragge to the frontlines of the Eye of Terror during Abaddon the Despoilers 13th Black Crusade, he has risen up and prevailed against all the odds, striking down the enemies of humanity and the Emperor of Mankind.

It would appear that he doesn't hold the 'xenos' of the Lylat System in the same contempt as he does with the other species he's fought against, mainly the Tyranids and the Orks. Having personally led the Space Marines on both Falconia and Evergreen in an attempt to contain the Chaos infestations among it's population, but ultimately failing in both and ordering the Exterminatus' which destroyed them. This earned him the hatred of the survivors of those two world's, especially Falco Lombardi and Fara Phoenix.

Strangely somehow Calgar appears to be connected to both Fox McCloud and Jacques Mortensen, whom the former he claims to have met his father at one time. It would seem he has a close bond with Jacques, where it is likely he had taken the complicated human being under his wing following the destruction of Eden and built him up into the zealous, powerful yet courageous Space Marine he is today.

Whatever else that the Lord Macragge is hiding behind his massive power armour and his massive Gauntlets of Ultramar is yet to be disclosed…

Commissar Rowan Plymouth

A Commissar with over 40 years in service to the armies of the God-Emperor of Mankind, he has made it his sacred duty to ensure the hearts of the men of the Imperial Guard to stay true to the fight by whatever means necessary. Like every other political officer he will go as far as putting a laser bolt through a cowardly Guardsman's head if he ever thought of taking a step backward. He aspires to be remembered as one of the Imperium's best political officers alongside the likes of Ibram Gaunt, Sebastian Yarrick and to a lesser extent Ciaphas Cain.

A close associate of General Sturnn and the Cadian 412th he was present during the battles on Lorn V to recover the Titan Dominatus. Despite the 412th's failure to recover the superweapon he harbours no ill will to Sturnn and the men, having a deep respect for them all. Yet like Sturnn he seeks redemption in the eyes of the Emperor and the Imperium for their failled mission.

With his upcoming assignment to the Lylat System in pursuit of the Children of Eden, and that he will stand toe to toe against both Fox McCloud and the Forces of Chaos, he may get his chance.

Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander

Lukas Alexander has to possibly be the most unpopular and hated man in the universe. Having secured the planet Kronus following the Dark Crusade around fourteen years ago from the forces of Chaos, Tau, Eldar, Ork, Necrons and even the Blood Ravens chapter of the Space Marines he had almost everything an Imperial Commander could ever have…until he was mysteriously ousted from power. Now he and the remainder of the Kronus 1st Company, nicknamed the Kronus Liberators, have joined forces with the Children of Eden and now live a lawless life, pursued by the Inquisition.

Having originally held a deep hatred for anyone non-human, it would seem his ideals having been greatly affected following his encounter with the Grey Knight known as Jacques Mortensen, but still he now has a bleak, grey outlook on life and his faith…

Shas'O 'Commander Farsight' Shovah

The legendary Tau Fire Caste Commander, Shas'O Shovah codenamed Commander Farsight has been the subject of much debate and controversy within the Tau Empire and the Imperium. Having broken away from the rest of the Empire, he and his followers known as the Farsight Enclaves have struck out on their own for hundreds of years, serving the Greater Good in their own way and pursuing their own agenda. A practitioner of close-combat and wielder of the mysterious Dawn Blade, he has earned the hatred of the other Tau Commanders and especially the Ethereal caste, though it hasn't stopped Aun'shi from attempting to bring him back into the fold and investigate his connections with the hated C'tan race.

It would appear that he has an affinity with the Gue'vesa'Shas'la known as La'Jakob, and that would be true as the human claimed to have learnt close-combat manoeuvres from him

Fleet Admiral Dylanis Nero

The high commander of the Imperial fleet ferrying the Cadian 412th to the Lylat System, not much of his is known of his past or his intentions. But what is known is that he is more or less a caricature of the upstart, pompous Imperial officer and bears a great hatred of heretics and xeno, which will put him at olds with Jacques Mortensen and his xeno allies and friends.

Aun'shi

A member of the mysterious ruling Ethereal caste and a veteran of the Tau Empire's many wars against the Orks, Aun'shi has close links with the Fire Caste, having valiantly led it's forces into battle many times. Long overdue for retirement (in his own words) he tires of war and looks forward to spending the rest of his life in relative peace.

But over his decision to search for the Farsight Enclaves and their Commander O'Shovah, it would seem he would have to get his honour blade bloodied once again.

Dash Bowman

An ace pilot of the Cornerian Air Corp, he and his squadron valiantly engaged the Chaos Warfleet at the beginning of the invasion of Lylat. His exact whereabouts, and if he either survived or perished, is yet to be known.

Katt Monroe

Falco Lombardi's (non-admittedly) on/off again girlfriend and fellow mercenary, this pink feline has assisted Star Fox on many occasions, a few of which the team owes her their lives. Blissfully she knew nothing of what was to come after the night she and Falco finally confessed their feelings for one another and consummated their love.

But when it did come she showed no drop of their as she alongside Star Fox fought the Chaos Space Marines and lived to see another day. And she is more than determined to continuing fighting with Falco by her side.

The Emperor of Mankind

The (supposed) living god of humanity, he has being a cypher to Cornerian academics since Lylat's first contact with the Imperium thousands of years ago. According to Imperial lore he ascended to the Golden Throne of Terra following the closing days of the Horus Heresy, the most terrifying civil war of humanity. His most favoured Primarch, Horus, turned against him following his corruption by the power of Chaos and becoming the Chaos God's chosen champion and led nearly half of the Space Marine legions against his 'father.'

During that final battle the Emperor and Horus did battle, with the Emperor convinced he could make his son see reason. Unfortunately Horus inflicted mortal wounds on him and would have won if the Emperor did not summon all of his mighty godlike psychic power to banish the taint from his forever…and in the process obliterating Horus' soul and banishing the Chaos Space Marines into the Eye of Terror.

Now, he is more or less a broken body encased in the Golden Throne situated in the Sanctum Imperialis of Terra, which serves as both a warp beacon and a complex massive life-support machine. He us neither living nor fully dead. For thousands of years as he has seen his own Imperium, which he gave his life for, slowly descend into madness and corruption as it has being locked in perpetual war against both Chaos and alien, driven on by the dreaded Holy Inquisition. Against his wishes, he is worshipped by trillions of people as an omnipresent, all-seeing deity, believing that he can answer their prayers in a universe gone made.

Jacques Mortensen said that it was the Emperor who saved his life along with Marneus Calgar when his homeworld of Eden was destroyed. How the supposed omnipresent did so is yet to be disclosed. But for now, it is Jacques' faith in this once great man that drives him on to protect all those deserving those life, and to take it away from those who don't.

**Disorder**

Abaddon the Despoiler

The chosen Champion of the four Dark Gods, he is said to be the personification of the power of Chaos itself. Ever since the end of the Horus Heresy ten thousand years ago he has led his chapter the Black Legion and the seven other Traitor Space Marine legions in Thirteen violent Black Crusades against the universe. Though having been driven back every time by the combined forces of Order, he is completely unrelenting thanks to his devotion to the Ruinous Powers.

Now, he has chosen Lylat as the staging point for his 14th Black Crusade and plans to strike the Imperium from this most unlikely of locations. Blood flows like rivers as thousands have already lost their lives, completely overwhelmed by possibly the most evil man in existence besides his one-time admired superior Horus.

It would take more than strength of arms and faith to stop Abaddon the Despoiler now; it would take a miracle…

Ahriman

Classed as a Librarian rather than a Sorcerer, the infamous Ahriman of the Thousand Sons and his followers has returned from exile to join Warmaster Abaddon in his quest to bring the scourge of Chaos to the universe, despite having declared the Ruinous Powers as not being their masters. Having being given a very important task, he his determined to follow through with it.

It would seem suspicious that someone deemed a traitor by the traitorous ones would serve alongside them, especially after condemning his own chapter to a life of automotive hell following the infamous Rubric of Ahriman, an experiment gone wrong centuries ago. He appears to have his own motives and designs different from that of Chaos in his search for the 'Imperator', but that is yet to be seen.

Zeraphiston

He is Warmaster Abaddon's personal sorcerer, who has served him faithfully for thousands of years. It would seem he and Ahriman shares bitterness towards one another, though it would come to no surprise.

Lord Ezekiel

A captain of the Alpha Legion, he is determined to restore his chapter's honour following their humiliating defeat on Tartarus a decade ago. Varying between being bad tempered and mildly calm, he deals with having to serve alongside his overconfident Sorcerer and Brother-at-Arms Artemis. That was until he and his company were ambushed by a combined force of Imperial Guard, Tau and Star Fox and he chose death rather then squaring off against the deluded visionary known as Jacques Mortensen.

Surviving his own suicide attempt but scoring massive 'unpleasant' burns, he has declared vengeance against the Forces of Order and elects to bring them down on his own, and finally restore his honour among Chaos Undivided. His first set of targets: Fox McCloud, Jacques Mortensen and Krystal.

Sorcerer Artemis

The only sorcerer of the Alpha Legion to have a mohawk, he is classed as being both opportunistic and overconfident, much to the chagrin of Lord Ezekiel and those Traitor Marines and cultists under his command. Those factors costed him his life at the hands of La'Jakob, whom armed with a Cerinian staff, struck the sorcerer down. Afterwards his corpse was then practically obliterated by Jacques, sending his soul and his arrogance screaming straight to Hell.

Horus

The original traitor, the one to have brought Chaos into the material plane of existence after accidentally falling in with a Chaos Cult nearly ten-thousand years ago, where afterwards he instigated the Horus Heresy. Space Marine fought Space Marine and he was on the verge of ultimate victory and his goal of bringing forth the word of Chaos to the Imperium, until he was defeated by his lord, master and father the Emperor of Mankind.

His power claw is in the possession of his once-trusted lieutenant Warmaster Abaddon, who once looked up to him as his own father figure, but now despises him for his defeat at the hands of the Imperium.

Though Horus no longer exists, the good and faithful can still feel his evil presence as they continue to fight the forces he had wrought.


	14. Chapter 13: Desperate Measures

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_A/N: Thanks for all your reviews…_

…_now for something completely different._

* * *

Chapter 13 - …Desperate Measures

* * *

_The pain of the mind is worse than the pain of the body.  
**- Publilius Syrus – Roman writer and poet**_

Slippy once again found himself returning to consciousness, only this time he found himself in a more unsettling environment. The room was pitch black except for a down light shining on him and splatters of blood on the ground below his seat. He tried to move, or even shout, but discovered to be tied to a steel chair with his hands tied behind, and a red-ball gag over his mouth. His muffled cries drew the attention of those lurking in the dark corners of the room, namely four canines clad in bluish cultist uniform with short-blades sheathed to their sides.

One of the canines had a skull rack tied to his back, which carried three other canine skulls and five other simian skulls, all arranged as an eight-pointed star of Chaos. He smiled wickedly, showing blood stained teeth, and twirled a blaster pistol in his hand. He then whistled sharply and turned to both his sides, catching glimpses of his fellow cultists.

"You still here, Sorcerer?" the canine asked, growled rather, in a daemonic-sounding tone, "What have you beamed here before us?"

The Sorcerer stepped into the light, his helmet off to reveal a emaciated, scarred and overall disturbing looking human being, where he said, "The final stages in the completion of the task set out to you by your divine masters of the Warp?"

'Divine?' Slippy thought cynically, believing that positive 'divine' to have actually been a word missing in the Chaos dictionary.

The frog then felt a steel hand slap him across the face, courtesy of the Sorcerer who looked down at him with more then enough vehemence to stop Slippy's brain patterns and thoughts. That happened when the Sorcerer said, "You think of the Dark God's with sarcasm again and that will be the last intelligent thing you will ever think."

Slippy then stopped thinking all together, convinced that this freak could look into his mind.

"Your late Christmas present is more than a bit pointless now, Sorcerer," the lead Cultist argued sharply, "Our engines are totaled and those Imperial pigs will be boarding us any second now. All because of…"

He glared over at Slippy, causing his blood and his heart to freeze a little bit more.

"…Star Fox."

The Sorcerer frowned, "I can turn the tide of this little skirmish. The Imperium forces are millions of light years way from any reliable aid and I believe I can seep into the minds of the more Warp-driven cretins among them…"

Before he could finish a Night Lord Space Marine busted into the room, meltagun in hand.

"We are being boarded!" he exclaimed, then menacingly reasoned, "And we can use your help up front, Sorcerer!"

The Sorcerer turned around and glared, "I believe I can perform better here, brother! All I need is for you to weld this door shut and leave another brother armed with a heavy bolter here to guard it."

"What do you plan to do?"

The Sorcerer smiled, "Something I thought we Sorcerers would never do in eons."

----------

From behind the controls of his Arwing hovering outside the hangar doors, Fox was startled at the sight of so many Cornerian cultists and Night Lord Chaos Space Marines waiting for them in the hangar, blaster rifles, boltguns, rocket launchers and at the ready. The tainted Cornerians, all clad either blood-splattered Cornerian army uniform or the grotesque style of cultist dress, were all growling madly and cackling with laughter, gripping their weapons tightly.

_Dear God, _Katt sighed over Fox's com, _Those poor, poor…_

She was interrupted when the enemy begun firing at the Arwings, laser and bolt mixing with each other as they hurtled towards the Arwings hovering outside their hangar, and the protective shield preventing them from being sucked into space. The Chaos Marines charged forward from the back of the hangar, boltguns blazing…

"KILL KILL KILL! WE HAVE COME FOR YOU!"

…and they all concentrated their fire on the lead Arwing just inches away from the hangar shield: Falco. The avian watched in horror as his precious Arwing was quickly covered in dings all over his. Falco cried out in shock when the canopy window cracked as a bolter round ricocheted off it and hit a Cornerian cultist square in the chest and blew it wide open.

Falco glared and gripped his laser controls, "You were saying, Katt?"

Chaos' minions all opened up with their guns, with a rocket hitting the side of Krystal's ship courtesy of a beagle with a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher, but luckily only delivering minor damage. Krystal returned fire and blew the beagle apart prompting Fox…

"ALL SHIP'S, RETURN FIRE! RETURN FIRE!"

…to follow the same pattern, pelting the entire hangar area with laser, tearing apart both cultist and Traitor Marine apart, though the power-armored heathens were more durable and each took more than three laser shots each to finally kill. One Marine aimed his large melta-gun at Krystal, who fired and took his left arm holding the weapon. He then calmly reached for it with his right and Krystal fired again, taking off both his legs, but appearing to not be fazed by the attack he crawled over to it and reached over. Sickened at the sight she fired one last time and finally killed the Marine.

Krystal then closed her eyes and tried to focus, which was interrupted by Jacques' over the com…

_Secure the hangar area and we will be able to land._

To which Calgar added gleefully…

And a Tactical Dreadnought Squad with an accompanying Techmarine will be able to Deep Strike safely to your location. I believe you will need all the available support at hand.

"Yeah, thanks!" Fox exclaimed, still firing his Arwing's laser cannons and receiving additional damage in return.

The cultists and the Chaos Marines now begun to retreat, disappearing into the doors leading into the hangar and allowing the Arwings to hover into the bay and land on the floor. Upon touching down, Fox's canopy opened up and he was the first to jump out, landing on one knee with his boltpistol at the ready. Immediately a few of the cultists felt their bravery return as they stormed right back into the hangar, drawing their laspistols and pulling the triggers.

"KILL THE HEATHEN FOX!"

Fox rolled to dodge the straight beams of laser before firing his large boltpistol. He was immediately taken back by the kickback the gun produced as it fired semi-automatic, as it's large 'bullets' fired from the barrel. But nevertheless his aim was perfect as immediately two cultist went down as the bolts blasted their chests open and one received a headshot which blew out the back of his head. Fox then closed one eye and steadied his aim as he fired again, taking off both the hands of another cultists, watching him scream in agony before he fired again at his gut, the intestines spewing out from the sheer size and force of the bolt.

"FOX, LOOK OUT!" Krystal shouted as her canopy opened.

Fox turned to the side to see a canine cultist attack with a chainaxe. He swung the motorised blade and only succeeded in nicking Fox in the arm and tearing some of his uniform. Though he only received merely a cut, Fox cried out as he expected his arm to have been severed, which would have been if he hadn't stepped to the side. Fox growled and kicked the chainaxe out of the cultist's hand, before landing another kick to his chest and knocking him down. The vulpine then suddenly smiled, baring his sharp teeth, as he delivered one last kick to the cultist's chest, collapsing it and killing him instantly.

Fox turned and spat to the side as he put a hand over his cut shoulder and muttering, "Bastard."

Krystal pulled out staff out of the glove box of her Arwing while Falco and Katt still brandished their Tau plasma weaponry from earlier. They exited their Arwings, their feet touching the ground where they half-expected the enemy to regroup and charge them again, which didn't seem likely as the Shark Assault dropships now entered the large hangar bay of the tainted Cornerian battlecruiser.

Once the ships landed on either side of the Arwings, the exit ramps lowered and the two squads of twenty Karskrin barreled out, heavy weaponry at the ready. Jacques stepped out of the left dropship, Nemesis Force sword in hand and his storm bolter locked, loaded and built into his free hand. He turned his head left and right as he surveyed the scenery. As he noted how actually clean and pristine the Cornerian hangar and different technologically to his own ships' as the Karskrin sergeants orders rang out…

"First squad! Secure left flank!"

"Second squad! On the right! Secure area!"

"Area's clear, sir!"

Jacques spotted a security camera scanning peering in on the entire force from the upper corner of the area. He looked straight up at it and glared back, completely freaking out the cultists watching the screen in the security control room of the battlecruiser. Those Cornerian cultists begun shivering with fright, them not thinking that they would be fighting against Imperial force, much less a daemonhunting, furry-hating Grey Knight. One of the cultists slammed his fist on a nearby blue-glowing button.

Unauthorized presence detected in Hangar Bays 1 through 6. Countermeasures activated.

Suddenly the little voices in their heads phased out their fear as they pulled out their blasters and laspistol while brandishing shortblades, chainswords and chainaxes. They dashed out of the security room to be joined by other Cultists, whom appeared in droves as they dashed through the corridor, brandishing weapons and chanting unholy incantations which would make even a stoic Witch Hunter Inquisitor gouge out his own eardrums with a pen.

Fox reached down to the floor recovered the cultist's chainaxe, stained with his own blood. Falco noticed that he was now armed with both the chainaxe and the boltgun, both of which were Imperial human weaponry.

"Looking good, Fox," Falco quipped with a grin, "If it weren't for all that fur you'd pass as a red."

Fox frowned as Krystal approached him and took a look at his wound, which she immediately deemed an insignificant cut. Fox on the other hand felt steamed at being compared to the men in greatcoats with large hats and sabers – The dreaded Commissars. He replied, "Somehow that sounds derogatory, even for a human."

Hey, head's up, Jakob said over the coms, Chaos approaching at 12'o clock.

Jacques nodded and gripped his sword, "I can sense them moving in from the room and sectors past the hangar. All weapons live, we must hold this area."

Star Fox, the Kasrkrin and Jacques all aimed their weapons at the three large entry doors into the hangar, where any second they would open and dozens of blood-crazed fanatical Cornerian zealots, and possibly Chaos Space Marines would charge out. Their evil faith being the driving force behind their urges to charge gun only armed with knives and pistols. The Chaos' followers devotion to their false god and the evil powers hidden within the Warp were always enough to make Krystal sick, but now she felt even more ill, as she would be defending herself against the corrupted Kemono people of this system, not just fallen humans.

"Strike true, men!" the left-hand Kasrkrin cried, "Let's terminate these Chaotic dogs!"

It was nearly twenty seconds later when Fox, Falco, Katt, Krystal, Jacques and the Eden Kasrkrin realized that the doors hadn't opened to reveal attacking cultists, yet both Jacques and Krystal could sense them standing behind the closed doors. Fox appeared to be dumbstruck as he felt his right hand, which held his boltgun, begun to ache.

"They're…they're just standing there behind the doors," Krystal explained, lowering her staff a bit, "As if they are waiting for something."

A Kasrkrin standing nearby looked over at her and asked, "Waiting for what?"

His question was fatally answered when suddenly a metallic blade drove itself into his back, through his spine, and out of his chest. His scream only came out as gasp, but his blood spraying onto his fellow commandoes and Krystal were enough to catch their attention. Krystal gasped in shock while another commando…

"EMPEROR SWEET FUCKING…!" he jumbled his words.

A security combat robot had impaled the commando and was quick to pull his blade out and drop the lifeless corpse on the ground. The 'combot' was the same security detail machines that Fox had encountered back on Fichina within the Weather Control Centre. Those same damned androids that were relentless in trying to render the vulpine into pieces, or flense the fur and skin from his bones. Twenty vents built into the ceiling opened up and dozens of those bots descended, their glowing red eyes, which would freeze the blood of any normal Guardsman, only aggravated the twenty commandoes as they called upon the experiences of their hellish training regime back on the fortress world Cadia. The sergeants rallied the troops…

"READY ARMS! GRIND THESE SOULLESS MACHINES INTO SCRAP!"

…and they aimed their guns up at the bots. One of the grenade-launcher Kasrkrin lobbed a grenade up at the nearest combot and it detonated, taking out a few bots immediately. He would have fired another if they didn't get closer to the ground, where another lob and he and those around would be caught in the explosion.

The combot, which killed the first Kasrkrin, lunged towards another. Krystal acted quickly, lunging towards the machines, jumping at it and bringing her staff down on it, slicing it in half…both pieces falling at the feet of the next Kasrkrin, just as he gripped his hell-laser. He gave a nod of appreciation, before he and his comrades fired upwards at the descending combots.

Star Fox, Jacques and the Kaskrin, instead of fighting the minions of Chaos, were now fighting the reprogrammed defences that were meant to protect the Cornerian personnel on board the battlecruiser, but now served the purposes of the Dark Gods. A steady stream of red laser, blue plasma, Krystal's fire shots and Jacques' storm bolts pelted the bots, each man and two women dodging their slashes and rolling out of the way. As Fox noticed that their blasts only succeeded in hitting the bots' hand which acted as a shield…

"HIM EM' AFTER THEY TAKE A SWIPE AT YOU!" he cried out.

…which Jacques took to heart. Just as a bot attacked him and raised his arms for the attack he ducked and delivered a metal fisted punch through the combot's plating and internal system. It buzzed and clicked for a few seconds before going dead, just as Jacques' tore out his motor and it cluttered onto the ground. Jacques smiled and thought…

'Too easy.'

…and lunged at another machine, just as it raised his arms and he struck with his sword, cleaving it in half. Another combot lunged at him from behind, and Jacques thrust his free hand towards it and clinched it into a tight fist, his psychic power immediately and painfully crushing the combot into a sphere. Jacques then kicked the spheroid combot towards another combot gunning for Katt and knocking it out of the air, allowing her to discharge her plasma rifle into it's head and blast it apart.

Katt yelled out with a smile, "SCORE!"

Falco was momentarily distracted by Katt's outburst, with his back turned to an attacking combot. Falco spun around and quickly shoved the barrel of his pulse into the combot's 'head' and fired, destroying it. Another combot lunged at him from behind and before he turned around, it was shot and destroyed by one of the Kasrikin sergeants with his hellpistol.

"You missed one, birdy," the sergeant smirked. His eyes suddenly widened when Falco raised his gun to aim at his head.

The sergeant moved his pistol to aim at Falco, but the avian was the first to let loose a burst…which shot past the dumbstruck sergeant's ear and hit another bot which would have torn the human apart. Now it was Falco's time to smirk.

"_You _missed one, baldy."

Three combots conveniently ganged up on Fox, who still gripped his boltpistol and his new chainaxe tightly enough to break the handles. One combot raised his arms and attacked, prompting Fox to aim and fired his boltpistol into it's chest, exposing the internal system, which he then proceeded to hack forward with his chainaxe and destroy it. The two remaining combots struck together and caught Fox off guard, which one slammed itself into him and knocked him down.

"OW!"

Fox rubbed his head and fought back the effects of a concussion. He leaped back onto his feet and delivered a high kick to the attacking combot, smashing it upside the head. He stunned it momentarily, allowing him to repeatedly hit it with his chainaxe, pieces of metal flying from it. Fox closed his eyes as a piece hit him between the eyes. As soon as it was destroyed he paused to removed the piece of small metal from his forehead, leaving another cut. The third combat went for him…

"Oh, enough of this!"

…and Fox simply raised his boltpistol up at it's head and pulled the trigger, destroying it. Soon enough the floor of the hangar area was completely littered with the remains of nearly three dozen combots, with many more lying around malfunctioning. These were immediately put down by the Kasrkrin, who begun to count their own dead.

"Gimme' a sit-rep," one of the sergeant's ordered.

"1st squad, four men lost!" another of the Kasrkrin exclaimed.

"2nd squad, three men are been terminated."

'So that's seven men altogether,' Fox noted in his head, 'Wouldn't be considered a big deal in a army of thousands. But fourteen remaining commandoes plus me and the guys up against possibly hundreds…this'll take a miracle."

_Star Fox? Imperials? _Jakob's voice came over the com, _What's going on? You weren't fighting Chaos?_

"No!" Fox exclaimed back, then gritted his teeth as the doors leading out of the hangar slowly opened, which would reveal the cultists now ready to attack, "But here they come!"

"Ah, man!" Falco groaned, "Talk about loosening the trigger fingers!"

Star Fox, Jacques and the fourteen Karskrin readied themselves for the next wave, expecting upward to about a hundred of these crazed furries to rush out guns blazing. Some commandoes dove behind any available cover ranging from meat supply boxes scattered around the ground to piles of totalled combots. Jacques lowered his sword and raised his hand with the storm bolter built into it.

'For Emperor and for life,' he thought to himself, 'Smite their enemies.'

Krystal smiled as she heard Jacques' thoughts whilst taking cover behind the wind of her Arwing. She transmitted to his mind, 'And I'm with you Jacques.'

Jacques looked over at Krystal, who was some feet away from him and smiled back. He looked straight ahead as the door opened to reveal the cultists, each one smiling devilishly and gripping both their laspistol and blasters and brandishing their blades. But before they could scream out their hideous war cries and the Karskrin could begin shooting, the fluorescent hangar lights built into the sealing suddenly shorted out. Star Fox, Jacques and the commandoes immediately silenced themselves, while the cultists all cried out in surprise and shock.

"Eh…what's up with the lights?"

Fox closed his eyes as he took advantage of the suddenly confusion to focus his mind for the next attack, as did Jacques. They were interrupted when suddenly what sounded like a massive electrical current went off and the grinding sounds of storm bolters and three-barrelled assault cannons tore apart the silence in the air. The cultists' screams nearly punctured everyone's eardrums, followed by the sliding doors leading out the hangar close.

That was when the red-coloured emergency lights activated and there standing near the closed doors were a team of six Space Marines equipped in large, bulky Terminator armour with a Techmarine present. While the Terminators were indeed something to gaze at, the Techmarine to Star Fox was the real draw here – as he was equipped in modified Adeptus Astartes armour which included four massive servo-arms attached to his back, (one of which was equipped with a blowtorch). The Mechanical Skull insignia of the Cult Mechanicus was embedded in his torso and he was armed with a boltgun and a large axe with the same symbol on it. As a lesser note, his helmet was coloured red.

"Fear not, servants of the Emperor," the Techmarine chose his first words, "For we have arrived."

Katt smirked, "I hope you're referring to the guys in flak and the guy in silver, pal. There's no way we'll ever do anything in his name."

Jacques frowned over at Katt, just as one of the Terminators turned to her and took a step forward away from the group, "Were this situation any different you would be tasting bolter by now, kitty."

"Kitty?" Katt scoffed, "You leant that word just now?"

Fox crossed his arms, "Alright, if we're done demeaning each other we'll get on with clearing out this floating coffin, grab Slippy and get the hell out of dodge."

"Not so fast," the Techmarine interrupted, raising a flat hand towards him, "The Chief Librarian has ordered me to splice into the Cornerian ship's main computer so our Battle-Barge can download whatever data there is on the extent of Chaos' incursion here."

"Now that is logical, Brother Sachiel," Jacques agreed as he emptied his bolter clip and slapped in another, recognising the Techmarine's voice though it was distorted some, "But first we need to exit the hangar if we are to proceed."

The lead Terminator chuckled as he raised his massive metallic chainfist and clinched it, the blades circulating loudly and making the hairs on Fox rise, "Heh heh heh…leave that to us, Brother. Those fallen Cornerians do not have a prayer."

Once again Fox felt confused, this time over the Ultramarines referring to Jacques as 'brother,' despite being wanted as a dangerous heretic by them. He immediately deduced that they still feel some sort of affinity for him, a sense of brotherhood – no because of his standing within the Imperium but as a person. To Fox that seemed logical enough, even though they were supposed to be the unfeeling Space Marines the Cornerian military intelligence and general belief condemned them as.

With that he smiled and thought, 'Guess there's more to humanity than meets the eye.'

"Oh, before I forget," Falco called out as he walked over to the Terminator with a sly smile, "Nice effect with the light's going out in the hangar."

Techmarine Sachiel looked over at the leader Terminator, who appeared to shrug confusingly. Sachiel replied, "Our Deep Strike would not have shorted out the lights in the area, avian."

Fox's eyes lit up upon hearing that, "Huh?"

----------

Back on the Beltino Space Station discontent increased tenfold as the frightened, nervous kemono scientists and civilians still saw lasguns trained on them by equally nervous Guardsmen. General Sturnn had a white cloth held to his head he was still recovering being having fallen to the ground and knocking his head, feeling a headache across his temple. He was starting to become tired of standing around in the hangar along with Commissar Plymouth and babysitting these xeno scientists, one of which was now missing and in Chaso hand; and with a seemingly pointless rescue mission under way to recover him.

"Sturnn to search teams," he said into the com, "Respond!"

Sir yes sir.

"Secure the control room on the double and establish a link between here and the fleet," the general ordered, "We're be coming up to join you shortly."

On our way, general.

Sturnn hung up the communicator receiver on the Guardsman's back and looked over the scientists, immediately eyeing Beltino. He then looked over at Plymouth, who stared back, and nudged his head towards the elder frog.

The Commissar nodded and ordered two nearby Guardsmen, "Bring that xeno scientist before us right away."

Beltino didn't try to resist, still emotionally drained after seeing his son Slippy disappear before his eyes. Amanda gasped lightly and reached for his arms as the Guardsmen approached. Beltino looked over at her softly, imploring her silently to let him go. She hesitantly complied and could only watch as her once-prospective father-in-law was lifted up by his arms and brought before Sturnn. The general could see Beltino's look of depression and fatality as he looked down at Sturnn's feet, which insulted Sturnn.

"We're taking control of the station, director," Sturnn explained, "And I want you to lead the way to the control room."

Beltino didn't respond as he continued to face the ground. Plymouth frowned and stepped over to him, drawing his laspistol and pointing it at the side of Beltino's head. Every civilian in the room gasped in horror, with Amanda wanting to quickly leap up onto her feet and dash to his aid, not caring about the number of Imperial guns present.

"Comply, or die xeno!" Plymouth growled, his hat covering his eyes from view and making him seem all the more terrifying, "Make your choice. But I advise you do so in the last possible ten second of your misbegotten existence."

Beltino did not respond to the threat, or even flinch at feeling the barrel of an Imperial-made beam gun against his head. He did what any other good father did and continued to quietly mourn his son. Sturnn immediately knew this, and decided to draw upon the knowledge he gained upon intercepting the transmission between the Ultramarine Battle-Barge and the rebel fleet's flagship.

"In case you wanted to know, director," Sturnn said, forcing a slight smile on his ragged face, "Your friend over at Star Fox are leading an attack on the last remaining Chaos warship to bring him back alive. Mortensen is with him, who believes that little frog's life is more important than his own."

Beltino narrowed his eyes gently, 'Of course he would. No other human in the whole entire universe is as selfless as he is.'

"And we may discuss the terms of negotiating your immediate release," Sturnn added, "In exchange for the rebel leaders."

He then looked up into the equally narrowed eyes of Sturnn, breaking his silent, mournful vigil.

"In that eventuality," Beltino said, "Please follow me."

Sturnn nodded and turned to the accompanying naval officers and Commissar Plymouth. Amanda watched as they walked around the corner of the group of squatting civilians towards the door leading out of the hangar area. They were able to step through when suddenly the fluorescent ceiling lights went out. The only source of light came from the stars shining through the hangar outer doors and the protective Lylatian-made shield.

"What in the name of the Holy Emperor was that?" Sturnn queried loudly.

----------

"Aun'shi?"

The Ethereal turned to face Jakob, seeing that he was looking up at the main screen and image of the Chaos-controlled Cornerian Battlecruiser against a blue background, with data schematics etching beside it. Blotches of beeping red dotted all over the rear of the battlecruiser, each for a few seconds, before disappearing from view, leaving Jakob looking startled.

"What are we seeing Gue'vesa'Shas'la?"

"I have no idea, but they appear to be electrical currents coming from the back of the ship," Jakob explained, rubbing his chin, "And causing brief power shortages in the process…eh… what the…?"

A beeping blue light appeared on the screen, followed by an alerting beeping sound. Jakob typed at this console, which brought up and image of the Beltino station, with the same red blotches now appearing all over the station except the hangar bay areas, with the Tau scanners detecting multiple Lylatian and Imperial signals.

Jakob and Aun'shi quickly deduced in their minds what those red signal could mean. Jakob quickly came to shocked conclusion, causing sweat once again roll down the side of his head and he fought against himself to keep calm. Before he could open his mouth to speak the lights in the control room suddenly went down, the computer and terminal flickering off as well.

If one could squint, they could easily see Jakob's eyes light in the darkness as he realised what was happening, and prayed silently that it wasn't going to happen right here in this room with unarmed Earth and Air Caste civilian technicians seated and the Ethereal himself here. The light turned back on, and Jakob felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end when he saw, from the flection of his still-black screen, a blue-coloured, gold trimmed Chaos Space Marine standing behind Aun'shi with his sword drawn and ready to strike.

Jakob glared and quickly sprung into action. He put his feet forward against the side of his console and launched himself, and his chair, towards Aun'shi, the tail of his black trenchcoat acting like a cape behind him. Alarmed, Aun'shi dodged out the way and saw the Chaos Marine standing there, who was then struck with full force by Jakob and his chair, almost causing him to lose his footing. The other Tau in the room cried out in terror with seeing the enemy Space Marine as Jakob dove from his seat, drawing his suit's modified wrist blades and dashing forward, intent on skewering the fallen human.

The Chaos Marine swung his blade, prompting Jakob to jump, bending his legs in upwards to avoid the slash, and bring them against the Marine's chest, staggering him some more. Jakob then attacked with a bladed left-hook, which the Marine raised his right arm upward to counter. He then parried and used his right leg to trip Jakob, sending him falling onto his back on the ground. Jakob gasped as the Marine then raised his foot and prepared to stomp him.

The heretic then stopped what he was doing as his head jerked up to see Aun'shi rush at him armed with his **honour blade**, a long handled double-blade inscribed with messages in the Tau language. Jakob felt the Marine's blood spurt on his face as the Ethereal impaled the Marine and, with much strength unlike any other Ethereal, swung his blade and sent the Marine flying against a terminal and smashing against it.

"Please, let there be no more of those madmen on board," Aun'shi stated.

What the ship's announcement system blurted out next chilled both Jakob and the Ethereal's blood.

INTRUDER ALERT! UNKNOWN ORGANISMS IN DECKS ONE, SEVEN, NINE, THE ENGINE ROOM AND COMMUNICATIONS! SECURITY RESPOND IMMEDIATLY!

Suddenly the screeching of bolter fire could be heard outside the control room, the sounds of running footsteps past the door and of people screaming in distress and calling for help, with pulse and plasma fire being returned. Jakob rolled back onto his feet and rushed to the door; he opened it just in time to see a Tau Fire Warrior fall right before him, a smoking hole caused by a bolter round in his back. The helmless Tau looked up at the wide-eyed human, pain and uncertainty etched on his blue, blood soaked face, his braid also covered in blood, with the precious red liquid seeping down through the slit in his head.

"Protect…Aun'shi…" the Fire Warrior choked out, "Alliance…must survive."

Another bolter sounded off and the back of the Tau's head was blasted off messily. Jakob felt something deep within him snap, as he once again felt the adrenaline pump itself through his veins, clinching his muscles tightly and making his heart pump faster in his chest. His pupils diluted as he believed he could no longer control himself and his actions.

And that was proven when he sudden dove headlong away from the door as it closed and scooped up the fallen Fire Warrior's plasma rifle. He noticed the bodies of nearly a dozen other dead (civilian) Tau and three Chaos Marines standing in the hallway, smoking boltguns in hand. They turned to face him, finding themselves not satisfied gunning down unarmed xeno civilians. This fuelled Jakob's rage as he got on knee and took aim, noticing other T'au sept Fire Warriors rushing behind him to join the battle.

The Chaos Marine squeezed the triggers of their boltguns as Jakob fired off three separate plasma blasts, which struck each of the Marines' weapons, blasting them out of their hands and scattering them on the floor behind them. Dumbstruck, they turned around to catch a glimpse of their fallen weapons, before seeing about eight Tau guns trained on them, a singular human among them, angry as all hell.

A Shas'ui among the Tau called out, "Chaos Marines! Surrender in the name of the Greater Good!"

The Night Lord Marines laughed maniacally, drew their swords and charged the line of Fire Warriors. They met a quick, albeit predictable, death as the Tau's plasma fire tore through their armour and rendered them as plasma-smouldering lifeless tin cans. Jakob had not opened fire along with his fellow Tau, rather he had watched with curiosity, if not horror, at seeing the Chaos Marine bravely charge at them, swords against plasma weaponry.

'Those fallen Space Marines,' he thought bitterly to himself, already knowing what drives these rusted power armours on, 'Madness and pure evil drives them on. It is pure insanity.'

"Jakob?" the Shas'ui placed a hand on his shoulder and asked with concern, "Why did you relent in ending their lives?"

"Huh?" Jakob looked up at the Shas'ui, still on one knee and looking confused.

"What troubles you?"

Jakob shook his head and responded, "The sight of those Chaos Marines startled me. I lost focus, I apologise."

"No need," the Shas'ui said and gripped his carbine, "The Warp-maddened servants of those false Gods startles, if not disturbs, all of us on sight."

The alarms continued to stand all around them, realising that there were still more of those bastards still around. With determination crossing his face he stood up and held his rifle to his chest, as if standing to attention before the Shas'ui, surprising him. The rest of the Fire Warriors present all stood to attention, mimicking Jakob and awaiting further direction from the further surprised Shas'ui. He nodded and reloaded his carbine.

"To me, Shas'la!"

The nine Fire Warriors dashed to where the gunfire was the heaviest – the Infinity's laboratory section. They burst in to see Tau Earth Caste scientists taking cover under desks and benches as three Chaos Marine 'Havoc' soldiers, armed with Heavy Bolters, spewed out lead death. The bolter rounds sailed above their heads, shattering lab equipment and ornaments and towards the Fire Warriors already fighting back, supported by a few brave Earth Caste armed with plasma pistols. They were all quickly gunned down, their blood spilling out all over the clean, sterilised floors of the lab. Jakob and his compatriots dove into the room weapons blazing, finding cover with the scientists.

Jakob had his back against a counter alongside a scientist. He looked over at him and asked, "Are you injured, Fio'ui?"

The 'Fio'ui' shook his head and responded scared, "Those mont'au! They're killing everyone they see!"

Jakob nodded and glared, remembering the Tau word for 'horror', "They will pay! On my honour, mark my words!"

He looked over the counter and fired at the nearest Chaos Havoc, his plasma blasts among other Fire Warriors' stunning the eight-foot metallic madman as they slightly melted the armour. The Havoc redirected his line of sight towards him and fired. Thinking fast, Jakob grabbed the Earth Caste Scientist…

"Uh?! ARGH!"

…who screamed as Jakob dove towards cover behind a desk along with another Fire Warrior taking the scientist with him, who fell painfully face first on the floor.

"Bond brother!" the Shas'la cried out in surprise, "The mont'au hit you?"

"No!" Jakob exclaimed, then noticed the entire room was now shattered, with destroyed equipment, supplies and dead bodies everywhere, "But they have hit everything but us!"

The Shas'la nodded, grabbed his hand and placed a plasma grenade into it, "We shall cover you, bond brother!"

Jakob nodded. The Fire Warrior ducked over cover and fired away at the Chaos Havocs and allowed Jakob to roll forward towards some cover closer to the enemy. The lab in itself was quite large, with the Chaos Havocs holding their position way at the other end near the wall. They noticed the singular human ducking towards them, but were preoccupied with kneeling behind cover themselves, as the Tau's firepower grew more intense. Jakob smiled as he got close enough to actually roll the grenade towards them.

He thumbed the button on it and rolled it towards them. He then got up and exposed himself as he ran from the ensuing explosion. Before the three Chaos Marines could fire upon them the detonated and the massive plasma blast engulfed them, wearing their armour away to the point where plasma bolts could easily punch through seemingly like paper. The next wave of pulse and plasma rendered them painfully to pieces, just as Jakob got up and dusted himself off.

"Excellent save, La'Jakob!" the Shas'ui cried out near joyously, "Now we need retake the rest of the ship!"

Suddenly more screaming could be heard outside when a helmless Night Lord Chaos Champion armed with a chainsword smashed through the door, wearing both a toga made of human flesh and a cruel smile upon his balding head, which beared decaying, sharpened teeth. The Fire Warriors all gasped upon seeing him, while Jakob just stood there and slung his rifle over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at the Traitorous Chaos Champion.

"I thought I would only need to be slaying xeno blueskins!" the Champion exclaimed happily, "But joy, now I get to hack up one of the blueskins' pets."

Jakob smirked and clinched his fists, "You poor, soulless cretin…"

His suit's blades extended from his wrists.

"…you are WAY out of your league!"

The Champion roared and swung his chainsword at the human, who stepped back and swerved his head to avoid. The Fire Warriors raised their rifles to engage the champion, but were stopped by the Shas'ui as he reached for the nearest Shas'la rifle and lowered.

"You'll hit La'Jakob. Let him settle this the way he does best!"

As Jakob heard that he won't have to fear about being shot at accidentally by his own comrades, he leapt and roundhouse kicked the Champion across the face, spilling blood and knocking teeth out which shattered against he way. Not staggered in the least the Champion swung his chainsword again. Jakob stepped to the side and shot his right-hand blade through the chainsword's blade, wrecking it's traction and stopping it's motions, rendering it completely useless.

The Champion eyes lit up in shock as Jakob swung the blade on his right hand and sliced the Champion across the throat. Blood splattered all over the floor as he dropped his wrecked chainsword and gripped his throat with both hands. Jakob stepped back some as the Fire Warriors raised their guns unleashed plasma death on the Champion, very literally blowing him back out the room. Jakob's wristblades sheathed themselves as he reached over his back and grabbed his slung rifle.

'I hope the poor Lylatian souls on the station are faring better than we are,' the Gue'vesa'Shas'la thought, 'And those Imperial bastard-kin decide to redirect their guns towards the REAL enemy here.'

----------

Trooper Vincent Schultz head jerked up as he guarded the door leading out of the nature habitat of the station, loosening his hold on his lasgun slightly as he looked up at the ceiling, seeing the lights shining down from the ceiling dim a bit. Concern crossed his face as he gripped his lasgun firmly, luckily not catching the attention of his fellow Guardsmen who patrolled the area looking for any more hiding Lylatian scientists.

Sergeant Armiel tapped his headset as he discovered he was no longer in vox communicator range of the other teams prowling around the station for both misplaced xeno and xeno technology. The latter to be destroyed, as would all alien-made weaponry, equipment and technology deemed heretical in the eyes of the Ecclesiarchy and the allied Cult Mechanicas.

"Emperor damn it all," Armiel muttered as he stepped out of bush, noticing Vincent looking up at the ceiling, almost with fear, "Trooper!"

Vincent immediately looked towards him and stood to attention.

"What are you staring at, Schultz?" Armiel asked, still tapping his headset.

The young Guardsman pointed up at the ceiling lights and replied, "The area lights, sir. They're dimming out."

Another Guardsman rolled his eyes as he stepped into view, "What do you expect from xeno-made crap, Vinnie? Sir, permission to shoot the lights out once we leave this place?"

"Granted," Armiel smirked, "Seeing as there's no more furries here. Looks like we've…"

He then saw something rustle in the bushes behind Vincent and instinctively froze, immediately surprising Vincent as his commanding officer's sudden movement and felt compelled to turn around as well. Armiel pointed his finger at Vinnie and weaved it to the side, and edged him to stand over to the side. Vincent did so and aimed his lasgun at the push. The other Guardsman readied his lasgun while Armiel pulled his laspistol out of it's holster and aimed it as well, his other right hand gripping his sabre.

"Whoever's in the bushes," Armiel begun, sounding calm and reasonable, "Came out with your hands up."

The rustling ceased, which was replaced with the sounds of heavy, panicked breathing. The unidentified eyebrows queered and he sniggered lightly, amused at how bad the person was trying to hide from them. Armiel, however, was getting impatient and wanted very much to leave this xeno garden and take a long shower to remove the stench of this alien flora from his body, and avoid the discretion of the Priests and the more xeno-hating deviants among the Guardsmen.

"We promise we won't hurt you," Armiel continued, beginning to sound sterner, "Killing civilians is the last thing the Guard want."

The breathing only quickened and loudened, which was beginning to spook the Guardsmen present, including the rest of Armiel's squad as they all rejoined. Seven other Guardsmen saw what was happening and proceeded to handle their lasguns more delicately as they confronted the bush.

"Last warning!" Armiel now growled. He gripped the handle of his pistol, instead becoming concerned was now becoming disturbed, "Come out now or we'll drag you by your tail!"

The bush suddenly tore itself apart and sent leaves, dirt and grass towards those present, some of which felt enter their eyes and they recoiled. Vincent back away quickly from the bushes to the side of Armiel, who still had his laspistol drawn and aimed at whatever was now standing where that bush to be. While the other Guardsmen, including Vincent, was immediately horrified at what was now before them, Armiel remained stoic and steadfast, glaring as he steadied his hand, looking down the sight of his laspistol.

"Emperor preserve us," Vincent muttered to himself.

"KILL! KILL! KILL!"

The figure opened up with his plasma gun and fired bolts of crimson energy. All lasguns fired upon him, with the sergeant ducking sideways and falling on the grass to avoid the blasts that burnt away the foliage behind him. His bearded face showed no fear as he cried with fury and fired his laspistol, aiming at the Night Lord Traitor Marine pale-white head and face hidden behind his osmilloic gill. The blasts burnt away the skin, but he appeared unfazed as he fired his plasma gun at one of the Guardsman.

"ARGHHH!"

The Guardsman screamed as the blast burnt through his flak armour and sent him falling onto his back, lasgun snapping in half as it cluttered on a nearby rock. The other Guardsmen continued firing at the power armoured heathen, stalling him long enough to allow Armiel to jump back up, dropping his laspitol and electing to use his sword against the monstrosity.

"COME ON, HERETIC!" Armiel growled, "USE YOU BLADE!"

"Gladly, weakling!"

The Traitor Marine dropped his gun and drew his blade, which connected with Armiel's sword. The sergeant parried and sliced forward, skimming the Marine's armour and producing sparks. The Marine attacked recoiled and swung over arm, which Armiel was about to sidestep and avoid, who then swung back, the Traitor Marine countered that as well. The rest of the squad watched as their sergeant tangled with the Warp-maddened Space Marine, daring not to pull the triggers of their weapons in case they hit him by mistake.

Armiel lunged forward with his blade; the Marine sidestepped and elbowed him sharply in the face, knocking blood and a molar of his mouth. The Guardsman sergeant gritted his teeth and sliced across, cutting a gash in the Marine's face, which he then growled in pain and raised his chainsword, and bringing it down overarm on the sergeant. Armiel parried, his blade proving strong enough to withstand the mechanised teeth of the chainsaw slash powered sword. Armiel wish he stilled had his laspistol so he could blast the Marine's exposed, angry head. Instead he did the next best thing, which was to throw a punch at the Marine's jaw and stun him long enough for him to raise his chainsword again, allowing Armiel to slash again. This time, Armiel slashed across Traitor Marine's head and rendered the top part of it off, exposing his brain to the air; the sight immediately making Vincent wanting to hurl. But for his pride's sake he kept it down, and raised his lasgun and fired at the Marine's face, finishing him off and sending his power armoured hulking body toppling over backwards on the grass, his blood and brains staining the green grass.

Armiel breathed harshly, trying to regain his breath, before turning around to face Vincent, and with a smile, "Nice shot, Schultz."

Vincent nodded eagerly, "Sir."

Armiel then bent over to recover his laspistol, then ordered loudly, "REGROUP! Report back to the boats and prepare for extractions!"

"What about…?" a Guardsman begun, then nudged towards the Night Lord Marine's body, "There's has to be more of those guys around, I know it."

"Then we'll deal with it!" Armiel growled, "Now let's move! Vincent, Frank, take point!"

"Yes sir," another Guardsman, a black haired thirty year old identified as Frank responded, as he and Vincent with their lasguns up went through the doorway leading out of the habitat first. They were relieved that there was nothing standing between them and the large service elevator leading back up to the science laboratory areas.

----------

And Sturnn though the same thing as he, Plymouth and their navy officer escorts stepped into the hallway leading out of the hangar bay, with Beltino in the lead and feeling much more secure, knowing that a rescue operation was under way to recover his only son. Plymouth noticed this and smiled gleefully, realising that a happy man is an efficient man – whether he is human or mutant amphibian xenos, or whatever the hell these things really were.

The origins of the Lylatian peoples, or according to the Imperial _**Xenology **_studies the **Kemono Animalia**, where always a mystery to the Imperium hierarchy including political officers such as himself. He wasn't an expert on aliens, hell he wasn't even a member of the Ordo Xenos, but these intelligent creatures were intriguing to him, believing them to be frightening humanlike. He knew that his thoughts would be considered heresy by the Inquisition and would face scrutiny by the Alien Hunters.

He ceased his thoughts when suddenly he and Sturnn heard shouting and gunfire errupt down the barely lit passage and through the door leading into the lab on the left side of the hall. The ceiling lights flickering on and off added to the tension. He upholstered his laspistol…

"That would be the search team on this level!" the Commissar exclaimed, "And no longer alone!"

Suddenly the door smash wide open and two Guardsmen were propelled out of the room and into the wall. Their flak armour was more or less painfully fused to their bodies as if they had been hit been a massive, burning heat blast. One of them was dead already, but the other struggled to breathe as he felt like he was on fire and cooking his innards. Sturnn gritted his teeth as a Chaos Marine armed with a large melta-gun stepped into view and stomped the Guardsman in the crotch. The immediate burst of pain from down there was enough to kill him from the shock.

Deciding to act before even ruminating what was happening, Sturnn sprinted forward towards the Chaos Marine, who turned and raised his melta-gun for another shot. The middle-aged General extended his wrist-mounted lightning claws and leapt into the air, bringing his claws down and through the chest of the Chaos Marine, which pierced through his lungs and spin and out the other end. The Chaos Marine tried to gasp, and very nearly did when Sturnn pushed off him with his legs, somersaulted in the air, and landed back on his feet before an amazed Beltino, impressed with the grey-haired man's strength and agility for his age.

The Chaos Marine gurgled in his own blood before toppling forward, his helmed face hitting the floor before Sturnn's feet.

"Did…did…you see that?" Beltino struggled to say, seeing the dead corpse of a Chaos Space Marine, "A real Chaos Space Marine, the antithesis of the Adeptus Ast…!"

_Sir? SIR! _Sturnn's communicator echoed, _Is everything alright, General? We heard gunfire just outside the hangar!_

"HOLD YOUR POSITIONS!" Sturnn ordered gruffly, "Guard those Shark Assault craft and the civilians. Fallen Space Marines have breached the station's walls!"

More bolter fire erupted around them, complimented with lasgun and plasma gun. Sturnn, Plymouth and their two officer escorts quickly sprung into action, weapons ready, with Beltino in tow. They burst into the nearest room, an office suite, to find two more Chaos Marines waiting for them with their swords drawn. The officers fired their autoguns at them, the flak bouncing off their armour but stalling them nonetheless. Sturnn and Plymouth both let out a battle cry…

"YAAAAHHHHH!"

…and charged the two Marines. Plymouth attacked first, swinging his sabre and decapitating one of the Marines with a single stroke, which the headless survived and comically tried to catch his head. But he was finished for good when the Commissar drove his sword through the helmed head and penetrated the brain, killing off all nerve function and putting the heretic down for good. Sturnn struck next, swinging a left hook clawed punch and striking the next Marine across the head, before jumping back and avoiding the Marine's swing. He then raised his storm bolter and sprayed lead death at the Marine, the bolts penetrating the armour and rendering the Traitor Marine into Swiss chess.

Sturnn smirked, before spinning around in his place and delivering a kick to the still standing lifeless Chaos Marine's body with his strength, sending it flying through the air and into a nearby office cubicle, smashing the desk and the walls around it and completely leaving Beltino's mouth hanging agape. He rubbed both his eyes, trying to comprehend what he just saw.

'Hmmm,' the scientific side of his him surprisingly brooded, completely forgetting about the events around him, 'He is not superhuman, only purebred, yet he can stand toe-to-toe against a corrupted Space Marine and strike a devastating killing blow…'

His smile almost startled the two naval officers through his sudden calmness.

'This would definitely make waves in the Lylatian Scientific community, as well as a series of essays – entitled: Humans: Nature's…'

He suddenly received a clout around the ears courtesy of Commissar Plymouth, treating Beltino's sudden calm, serene state with much suspicion. Beltino rubbed the back of his ears and groaned silently, where he was immediately threatened with another strike.

"As you will lead us to the control room, you march up front from here on end," Plymouth stated, raising his laspistol, "And I will make sure your feet do not get cold."

"But if more of those things attack?" Beltino tried to protest.

Sturnn retracted his lightning claws and looked over his shoulder frowning, "Then they will face the Emperor's might, director. As will you if you don't cooperate."

Overwhelmed with so many threats, Beltino sighed and shrugged, "As you wish, General."

----------

Back on board the Tainted Cornerian battlecruiser a crowd of cultists had more or less flooded the hallway outside the door leading into the hangar area. The fallen Cornerians up front looked into a video screen embedded in the wall beside the door, which projected images of the hangar area from the perspective of the security camera. They could see the two teams Imperial Karskrin spreading out and securing the area, while Team Star Fox, the Grey Knight, the Techmarine and the Terminators stood some feet outside the doors leading out of the hangars. Before each of them were four separate commandoes planting what appeared to be demolition charges on the steel doors.

But that didn't catch their eyes. What did was a certain blue avian looking up at the camera with a big smirk on his face as he flipped the viewers off before mouthing the words…

'Asshole.'

Suddenly the door exploded inwards, a massive jet of flame moving down the hallway and incinerating the packed in cultist, leaving their charred bodies lying on the ground. The survivors immediately darted through nearby other doors into different rooms, each drawing their weapons and taking cover just before the first Terminator kicked down the remaining pieces of the steel door. He stepped through with his storm bolter at the ready, his large metal foot immediately crushing a Cornerian skull with little bits of flesh still on it.

"We have breached Door number 2," the Terminator announced.

Two more explosions followed…

Door number 3 breached… 

_Door number 1 breached. No resistance encountered.._

…which was followed by the vox messages which could be heard over any compatible communication network. Then afterwards the sound of immense gunfire pierced through the air as the combined forces of Order made their move. The Terminator to first step through door 2 scanned the passage before him and found that it was deserted…

"HEY!"

…until a Rottweiler cultist ducked his head out through a door and hurled a sticky bundle of high explosives at the Terminator, which clung to his dreadnought armour tightly. The superhuman inside it immediately begun counting in his head the few seconds he has to live, and without turning around he called out to his brothers.

"Stand clear of me, my brothers!" he exclaimed, "I depart this plane to join the Emperor! Farewell!"

He then tripped himself up and fell forward onto the ground while another Terminator, three Kasrkrin, Fox, Falco and Jacques took cover, backs against the wall away from the. The resulting explosion sent a jet a flame out through the doorway, luckily not consuming anyone besides the unfortunate Terminator, who was completed swallowed up – armour, gene-seed and all, leaving only small traces of steel.

Jacques gritted his teeth, "Cowards!"

He noticed the Krystal hadn't taken cover with him and others and instead were near door 1 with a team of two Kaskrin, two Terminators and Katt. The other two members of 1st Squad were outside door 3 alongside two other Terminators and the Techmarine Brother Sachiel.

"Members of 2nd Squad," he called out, "Guard this area with your lives. We shall clear this battlecruiser room by room. Techmarine Sachiel?"

"We are ready," Sachiel called back, brandishing his axe and his boltpistol, "We shall make our way to the bridge, based on the schematics of this Cornerian cruiser."

"Krystal? Katt?"

Standing next to the sergeant of 1st Squad, she turned over to look at him. He nodded, signalling that he was ready. She called out and replied, "We're ready to go, Jacques."

Jacques turned to Fox, who was standing beside him. Fox clinched his teeth, half-expecting Jacques to call out to him. Instead, he just nodded and responded, "Let's go."

The Techmarine's squad moved in first and found through their door what appeared to be the showers and change rooms for the Cornerian pilots. Inside they already found about ten maniacal Cornerian cultists dressed in flight gear, each brandishing large knives they had used to cut the eight-pointed star in their now bloodied chests and foreheads.

"SCUM!" the Techmarine shouted and lunged forward, bringing his axe down on the nearest Cultist and cleaving his head clean in half, the blood spraying out all over his helmet, mixing in with it's already red colour.

The Terminators and the Kaskrin opened up with bolter and laser death, tearing the remaining nine cultists into pieces as they lunged forward with their knives. One cultist was severed in half, his still-laughing torso with entrails dangling flying towards the lead Terminator, who bared his free hand and clinched his fist, where he punched through the crazed Cornerian's skull and snuffed out his life.

The team led by the Techmarine stepped through into the seemingly empty, but blood-splattered change room, noticing the door at the other end leading to the forward parts of the cruiser. They begun passing by the lockers, when suddenly one of the locker doors swung open and out stepped a cultist with a large rusted cleaver. He went for the one of the Karskrin at the back of the team and before the human could defend himself his jugular was severed and he slowly bleed to death on the floor. He watched his comrades tear the Cornerian, literally, with their bare hands; the screaming and blasphemous cursing a terrible thing to hear.

His fellow Kasrkrin averted his eyes as he solemnly aimed his hellgun at his head and pulled the trigger, giving him a quicker, less suffocating death. The Kasrkrin bowed his head to the corpse briefly, before the team moved forward and left the change rooms through the door leading into a hallway. More cultists waited for them, blaster rifles, machine-guns and knives ready.

The Techmarine raised his axe and cried out, "EMPEROR DAMN YOU ALL!"

One cultist poked his head from behind the cover of an overturned desk situated in the doorway leading into what appears to be a large communications room, and called back smirkingly, "YOU FIRST, MOTHERFUCKING OVEREVOLVED APES!"

The Terminators' bolters roared to life and shredded that desk to pieces, causing the cultists in the hallway to scatter and dive towards other cover. The door leading into communications closed and locked, but didn't stop the Terminator who stepped forward and kicked it down, the door crushing an unfortunate cultist under it. As that Terminator stepped through into communications, the rest of the team pushed forward down the hallway, the Techmarine leading the charge.

The cultists fired their machine-guns at the Terminator, but doing so much as make him more zealous as well as dent his armour. He fired his storm bolter at the dozen cultists, destroying and breaking apart communication and radio equipment, taking precise aim at each one and filling each body with lead, one cultist having the side of his head blown off, the rest of his brain taking approximately ten seconds to die. One cultist charged at the Terminator, only to be backhanded into the steel wall, denting it and knocking him out.

Back in the hallway the Techmarine Sachiel charged forward and hurled his axe at the nearest cultists, embedding itself into his skull, where still charging Sachiel ripped the axe out and kicked the now-dead cultist's body to the ground. He then fired his boltpistol at more approaching cultists. Doors to the left and the right of him opened to reveal more charging cultists, these ones now clad in blood-splattered Cornerian army uniforms, with their blades raised. They were then promptly gunned down by the Kasrkrin, one of which charged forward and rifle-bashed a still standing cultist in the gut, before bringing the barrel of his hellgun under his jaw, firing and burning a hole through his head.

"Brothers!" Sachiel cried, "The shortest way to the bridge is through Operations…THIS WAY!"

----------

By this time the two other teams left the hangar area and begun their advance forward into the ship. Fox and his team went in charged through the second door on the left side of the hallway leading out of the hangar, their weapons at the ready and with Jacques in the lead, his psychically imbued Nemesis Force sword at the ready. This led to what appeared to be a large recreational area including pool table, arcade machines, pinball machine, a couple of a vending machines, a circular lounge suite. And a dozen cultists lying in wait, weapons drawn and seething madly and eager to spill blood.

Jacques focused and broadcasted a psychic shield around himself and his team as the cultists all fired wildly at them, both laser and bolter fire cracking away at them. He kept the shield up until Fox, Falco and the three Kaksrin could duck behind cover behind a soft, while he and the Kasrkrin stood their ground. Jacques let the shield drop and the enemy's laser and bullets made impact with their armour. Jacques turned to the side so that none of it struck his exposed head, gripping his sword tightly.

Just as the Terminators fired their storm bolters with Fox and Falco ducking in and out of cover and firing their respective weapons, Jacques opened with a mighty war cry…

"RAAAAAAARGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

…which shocked the enemy cultists right down to the core (even startling Fox who felt his aim slip a bit) and charged forward with supernatural speed, his left arm blocking his head while his right held his head, which he proceeded to swing and render the pool table in half, exposing a cultist which he then swung again and sliced him across the chest, sending him falling sideways screaming.

Falco fired his plasma rifle and shot a cultist armed with a sniper rifle, singeing his headfur in the process of taking his life. Fox aimed down the sight of a his boltpistol and fired, a single shot through the neck of another cultist and tearing his throat to pieces, leaving him without much to support his canine head. The Terminators continued to fire their storm bolters, ripping cultists apart at the seam. Jacques swung his fist and sent another knife-wielding cultist flying and into a vending machine, shattering it. As cans of soda toppled out over the floor, another cultist armed with a minigun emerged out of another doorway besides the vending machines.

Immediately alarmed, Fox gripped his chainaxe and cried out, "LOOK OUT, JACQUES!"

The vulpine leapt from cover towards the cultist, as he was apart to pull the trigger and riddle the Grey Knights with holes from close range. Before Jacques could turn around to counter, Fox had already struck; taking the shocked cultist by surprise and slicing off both his hands with his chainaxe, the motorised blade whirring as Fox struck again. Quickly and painfully, he struck the cultist repeatedly in the neck with his axe, spraying blood all over, which covered both Fox and Jacques; the vulpine closing his eyes to avoid the warm red liquid from impairing his vision.

The Terminators and the Kasrkrin continued firing at the entrenched cultist, one of the purebred human pulling out a frag grenade and hurling it into the lounge suite. Jacques and Fox got to cover with the former's psychic shield up, which protected them as the frag went off and blew the remaining Cornerian cultists to pieces.

"Room secured!" one of the Kaskrin cried, "Commander, McCloud."

"Do we advance?" the Terminator queried, but not to either Fox or Jacques, "Lord Macragge?"

_Proceed immediately, Brothers, _came Calgar's response over the Terminators' vox.

Suddenly more cultist rushed in, this time carrying even more Cornerian heavy weaponry and causing Falco's to 'eep' quietly as he left cover, knowing there was no form of cover that would protect them from a couple of Demon launchers. Jacques turned to face them with coldness as ice that would take a firebomb to crack and melt, and which chilled these cultists hearts once again.

"AIM FOR HIM FIRST!" one of the cultists cried, "KILL…ARGH!"

Jacques closed his eyes and focused intensely, waves of psychic power stemming forth from him as he concentrated intensely, and with the cultists beginning to writhe, contort and scream in agony. Jacques then opened his eyes and mentally shot forward towards them a bombardment of pure psychic power, which was powerful enough to burn them all to a crisp, leaving their charred skeletons standing still for a few seconds before each crumpled to a heap on the ground.

Fox, Falco and the two Karskrin present felt their mouths agape in shock, while the Terminators too also felt surprised at seeing the deadly psychic attack performed before them against a team of heavy weapon carrying Cultists.

'The Holocaust power of the Grey Knights,' one of them thought, 'Only the combined power of a whole squad of Order 666 can perform such a feat and cause that much destruction amongst the Emperor's enemies.'

Jacques shook his head gently as he quickly cleared his mind and tapped himself out of the Warp, knowing that performing such a powerful, deadly technique could leave himself open to daemonic possession from the monstrosities that inhabited the Immaterium. To be honest, he completely surprised himself at knowing how to do an individual Holocaust attack with much success. He quickly deduced it would have been because of his short time unwillingly and unknowingly serving the Inquistion and instinctively remembering how to perform it.

He turned towards Fox and Falco, the both of them receiving a startled jolt at making eye contact with the now shining Grey Knight, his psychic power now flowing freely through him.

Jacques frowned, "Let us proceed. There is much work to be done."

Fox nodded quickly and nervously, "Y…yeah."

He raised his boltpistol with one hand, his other still gripping his acquisitioned chainaxe.

----------

At the same time as both Techmarine Sachiel and Jacques' teams advanced; Krystal, Katt and their Imperial escorts also advanced. The Cerinian with her staff up and the feline with her pulse carbine ready and still loaded. They had met no resistance when they breached out of the hangar into the ship and were now advancing down a corridor, the ceiling and the wall lights flickering on and off and the sounds of animal-like growling echoing down the hallway.

"Where are the Traitor Marines?" one of the Kasrkin wondered out loud, yet keeping his voice soft and directly it towards Krystal, "They should be charging forward right now."

"If they haven't gone MIA yet, soldier," Katt responded, carbine aimed down at the corridor, "And that'll make getting Toad-man out all the more easier."

Suddenly door all around them opened up and cultists swarmed in and surrounded them, aiming blasters and laspistols at the team and holding swords to their throats. The Kasrkrin felt their breathing cease with anxiety, the Terminators felt their hearts beginning to pump the adrenalin faster while Katt cursed herself for once again speaking too soon. Krystal on the other hand felt his hands squeeze her staff tightly, a mean looking frown on her face.

She felt a laspistol touch the nape of her neck and a cruel voice whisper into ear courtesy of a canine cultist, "Don't even try it, heathen."

Instead of looking worried or shocked, Krystal found herself smiling quaintly, surprising the cultist. She loosened her hold on her staff…

"You mean THIS?"

…then swung it with all her might and struck the cultist across the forehead, knocking him down on his back. Katt and the others sprung into action as well, with one of the Terminators immediately reaching for the head of the nearest cultist, causing him to drop his weapon…

"ARGHHHH!"

…as he lifted him into the air and slammed his skull into the steel wall, sending his brain slamming forward into the front of his skull and killing him instantly, blooding pouring out of his eyes, mouth and nose. Both Kasrkrin who had blaster trained at their heads quickly jerked their heads out of harms way as the cultist pulled the trigger. One of the elite commandoes raised his hellgun (with attached underslung grenade launcher) and fired into the cultist's chest, melting a large hole in him, which exposed all of his torso region and his vital organs.

"HOW D'YA LIKE THIS, WARPED FURBALL?" the Kasrkin laughed, before kicking the cultist through the door into the next room…

…which the body splattered into pieces as it hit the floor. The Kasrkin saw other cultist into the room, which appeared to be the forward pilots' barracks, and loaded up his grenade launcher and let one projectile fly, taking them all out and sending weapons, blood and body parts flying and staining the area red.

All this time Katt was giving her own attackers hell, first by having kicked on straight in the crotch and incapacitating him, before kicking him again in the windpipe and putting him down for good. Just as the other cultist swung at her, she dodged and kicked him in the hand and relieving her of his weapon. Then holding her carbine with one hand she raised it to the cultist's head and fired…with one flash of blue later there was nothing on top of the cultist's smoking neck. The body then slumped on it's knees, before falling backwards.

"Seriously," Katt cried, "I don't know how much more close-quarter combat I can take."

"Tell me about it," the other Kasrkrin groaned, looking down at the body whose arms he had atomised with his plasma gun, then turned to the two Terminators, "Perhaps you should be up at the front."

"Fair enough," one of the Terminators responded, "Make way."

Krystal, Katt and the two Kasrkrin stood aside to allow the Terminators to lead them, which was just as well as more cultists charged down the hallway. The Terminators wasted no time in opening up with their storm bolters and cutting them down to shreds, the sight of so much blood and gore working wonders on Krystal's stomach, despite not having to have a bite to eat since yesterday, and the fragility that was her spirit.

She had never seen so much blood spilled in one setting before, but then again she had never seen the full extent of the brutality humanity fought with itself – The fascist technocratic Imperium against the Warp-maddened, daemonic Forces of Chaos. Apart from a certain Grey Knight, there were hardly any humans from the Imperium that had any redeemable qualities (as far as she knew) and the humans that served Chaos were rotten to the core.

She nearly jumped when she felt a paw on her shoulder. She turned to see that it was Katt, still holding her smoking carbine with one hand. She said, "You chose a good time to start pondering again, Krys."

"Sorry," Krystal responded sheepishly, then suddenly sounding ill, "Just…so much blood…"

The Terminators overhead her saying that, one of whom turned his head to the side a bit in case she continued to speak of her discomfort for graphic violence, which she didn't.

'The Cerinians were always the peaceful warriors,' he thought, 'Peaceful, yet brutal in the stench of war.'

Krystal recuperated and gripped his staff, "Let's keep going."

"What I was going to say," one of the Kasrkrin said, "Let's g…eh?"

Suddenly Krystal screamed in pain as she suddenly felt a stinging pain slam itself into her head. She let go of her staff to grip her throbbing head, as if something was trying to burrow into her skull. She begun to breathe in and out harshly, trying to keep calm but to no avail, as the pain was so great tears were now falling from her eyes. She closed her eyes to try and stem the flow as she realised that not only was her physical body in pain…

But her mind and soul were being ravaged as well.

_So much blood you say, Cerinian? _Once again a cruel voice spoke in her head, _Well, in the coming days of our crusade, blood will flows like rivers emptying out into a vast sea of red._

"No!" she exclaimed, having fallen down and now sitting on the ground, still gripping her head, he eyes now open but red veins now sprouting on her once beautiful blue globes.

"What's going on with her?" one of the Kasrkrin cried, looking down at her surprised, not knowing what to do.

"By the Emperor!" the other Kasrkrin shouted out loud, "She is being possessed! I've seen this before!"

He lowered his plasma gun at her forehead and prepared to fire, alarming Katt.

"We must kill her before the daemon takes hold!"

"OUTTA THE FUCKING QUESTION!"

Katt punched the Karskrin across his helmed face, stunning him. Her fist stung a bit from the impact as she she got on her knees and held Krystal by her shoulders, shaking her gently.

"Krystal, listen to me," she said quickly, "Can you fight it off? YOU HAVE TO FIGHT IT OFF, KRYSTAL?"

Krystal's eyes went blank as she suddenly lost all control of her body and slumped onto the floor like a rag doll, panicking Katt. The Terminators turned around, where if one was to look through the folds of their massive armour and elongated helmets they would see they didn't look surprised that this was happened, but were nonetheless concerned. Katt looked behind herself at the Terminators.

"What's happened to her?" she queried loudly, "Answer me!"

The Terminator stood over and looked down over them, "Her mind has been penetrated by a omnipresent psychic presence, possibly a Sorcerer. He is capable of entering the mind of anyone who has a presence within the Warp. And her species having an intimate history with the other side…"

He suddenly sounded smug, which only made Katt madder.

"…I would not be surprised."

Katt reached over and held up the now catatonic Krystal up by the shoulder, making sure she leant on him, and still glaring in anger at the Terminator over his heartless words. To the pinkish feline there was no way that Krystal, and the Cerininan race, would have anything to do with the power of Chaos. If they had made contact with the godless creatures and minions to crawl out of the Immaterium, it would have been drive them back into that Hell.

"Just…out of interest of not slowing you down," Katt seethed, "I'm taking her to the infirmary. I know the way around these Cornerian junks, it's just around the corner."

"That is a good idea to suggest," the Terminator responded, "Though I doubt she will last, as it is not her mind that is being afflicted, but her mind."

"Oh, give it a rest, will ya?" the plasma-gun carrying Karskrin scorned, before holding Krystal up by her left side so that she rested between him and Katt, "Cain, cover us will you?"

"You got it," the other Kasrkrin known as Cain responded, raising his hellgun with attached grenade launcher, then turned to the Terminators, "We'll secure the Infirmary, then catch up with you."

"By all means," the same Terminator continued, "If the Warp takes her, we best be as far away from her as possible."

'Stuff what you said up your metal backside,' Cain suddenly thought niggly, 'If one knows the Archon, he won't let his charge fall to the Ruinous Powers.'

----------

Fox keep his finger tightened on the metal trigger of his boltpistol, sending a hail of lead towards a cultist charging at him with a knife, sending him falling forward at his feet. He then kicked him across the head to finish him off before stepping forward and kicking another charging cultist, before raising his boltpistol again to score a headshot against another Cornerian cultist before he could fire his laspistol himself.

He, Jacques, Falco and the other humans with them – Kasrkrin and Terminator, fought their way through the ship towards Slippy's position, as according to Jacques who could sense him another deck up and they made their way towards a elevator or staircase. The Techmarine's team would remain on this deck as the bridge and the ship's computer were located here, and Krystal would hopefully link up with them as well. Fox mentally kicked himself as he realised he should be staying close to her, unaware that Jacques was sharing the same sentiments, but both realising that she was capable of holding her own in a fight.

Fox felt blood splatter his back courtesy of Jacques hacking down another cultist that tried to attack Fox from behind once again. Fox growled in frustration, believing that no amount of hot water and soap courtesy of a shower was going to cleanse him of all this filth. He barged into another room boltpistol blazing followed by his comrades, where they proceeded to lay waste to the cultists in the room, cutting them all down.

After their guns went dead, Jacques noted, "I figured we would be confronting Traitor Marines on this vessel. Did we not encounter them in the hangar?"

_That you did, Mortensen, _Calgar spoke over Jacques' vox communicator, _But it would seem they have transported themselves of the ship, as we are receiving reports of skirmishes on board the Beltino station, and detecting plasma fire originating from your Tau allies' craft._

Jacques cursed out loud as they ran out of the room and continued through the ship "Damnation…!"

He paused to shoulder charge a pitbull cultist and drive his sword through his chest, before pulling it out to slice down the middle another cultist. He then brought the back of his elbow against the pitbull and dislodged his head from his neck, killing him instantly and sending him falling down.

_Do not be concerned, _Calgar continued, _Since they are few in number, they will be dispatched soon enough._

"Yeah?" Fox barked, still firing his boltpistol as they continued to move through the ship, "But not before causing as much damage as they possibly can."

That's just their prerogative, McCloud, Sturnn now voxed to Fox through his own communicator, We've lost ten men already, but I think the traitors are realising they won't be putting up much of a fight much longer…GAH!" 

They could hear the sounds of lightning claws piercing through power armor, followed by the splattering of blood and the hacking of flesh and body parts. Falco's face contorted in disgust as he continued firing, realizing that soon enough they had just taken out every Tainted Cornerian cultist on the deck.

As I was saying, we're getting close to the control room, and securing the station for good.

"You do that," Fox said, "And keep your guns trained on the Chaotic bastards and not on any civvies."

_We don't plan on wasting our ammo on defenseless creatures, _Sturnn responded gruffly, _At least until you betray us._

Falco sniggered and retorted, "Heh, hope you don't bet on the wrong horse, General."

The avian then aimed his rifle and discharged plasma into another cultists, where it bored right through him and struck the forehead of another, vaporizing the top part of his head. Disgusted that the first cultist wasn't dead, he fired again at his forehead, finishing him off. Another cultist lunged at him with his blade, which Falco gripped his rifle with two hands and used it to block the Cornerian's blow, before he rushed forward and pinned the cultist to the wall along with his hands. He then slammed his knee into his gut, knocking the wind out of the cultist, then holding the gun with one hand aimed at his face and fired, killing him.

He felt a feathered hand grab him by the shoulder and spin him around, putting his blade against his throat. Falco's angered face turned to unaccustomed horror when he found himself starting into the black, pupil less eyes of another blue eagle avian, who was dressed in black cultist robes with black lined etchings on his cheeks. The cultist avian smiled at Falco's abstract terror.

"Hello, brother," the avian grinned, "I never thought to see another avian ever again."

Falco quickly swallowed his fear, noticing the Terminator approaching from behind, "I'm not your brother, freak."

He hated himself for saying those words, and closed his eyes tightly, not wanting to see what was about to happen to his misplaced fellow avian. The Terminator fired his storm bolter and blew both avian's feet off, sending him falling backwards and staring upwards at the Terminator, who aimed his bolter at his chest and fired, blood and ribs flying upwards into the Terminator's armored face. Falco opened his eyes and refrained from looking down at the horror-stricken dead avian.

"You do not plan on thanking me?" the Terminator surprisingly asked.

Falco replied discontentedly as he raised his plasma rifle and wiped the blood from his eyes with the back of his hand, "Don't count on it."

Fox glared over at Falco and how he gave his swift retort, then noticed that Jacques with a look of pained discontent on his scarred face, holding his blood-soaked sword with both hands in the process of driving it through a cultist's chest, having stopped inches from his body. The blood in the cultist's face had drained itself out through his fear, and that both his legs were missing and were losing blood. Guessing that Jacques was going to finish him off, Fox aimed at the cultist's head and fired, giving him a more timely death. This broke Jacques from his trance, as he turned to face Fox, who eyes were narrowed in confusion.

"What's wrong? Fox asked, feeling it was safe to ask as the area was secured.

Jacques exhaled roughly, Fox swearing he could see fear in Jacques' eyes, "I…I sense a foul presence in the Warp, Fox…"

He then turned to face the avian.

"…Falco."

"Huh?" Falco reacted, "What is it now?"

"What else can you sense, brother?" one of the Terminators queried, stepping up to him.

Jacques closed his eyes and focused, shuddering roughly as he heard what appeared to be a feminine cry of agony drift along the torrents of Warp-driven energy emanating from the unseen realm of the Immaterium. He gasped out loud when he recognised the tone of voice that scream belong to, startling those around him. One of the Karskrin cried out…

"WHAT? WHAT IS IT, SIR?"

"It's Krystal!" Jacques exclaimed, eyes shot open in horror, "Her mind is being violated by a Chaotic force on board!"

Fox panicked, immediately taking Jacques' word for it, "Oh, God…Krystal!"

He immediately reached for his communicator…

"KRYSTAL, KATT!" he shouted, "PICK UP, NOW!"

_I'm here! _Katt exclaimed from the other line, _And no need to shout for God's sake!_

"What's happened to Krystal?"

_I dunno, _Katt responded, _But tincan here suggests she's being possessed. I'm moving her to an infirmary and holding up._

Fox switched off the communicator to get down on one knee and hold his head with his left hand in distress, breathing harshly through clinched teeth. To him this wasn't happening, that the love of his life was being hurt, and that there was nothing that he could do about it. Jacques saw his look of pang and frowned, believing he should be the only person to be feeling what he does, but believing he can do something about it.

"Come on, Fox!" he exclaimed and grabbed Fox by the arms, lifting him back on his feet, "Falco, brothers…"

Falco, the Terminators and the Kaskrin followed close behind, with Fox being dragged by the arm. He regained his senses and immediately cried, "HEY! What the hell are you doing, Jacques?"

They came across another door, which Jacques immediately kicked down to reveal a square room with an elevator situated beside a twirling staircase going up a floor. Jacques smiled and let go of Fox's arm. He then proceed to grip his sword with his both his hands and point the blade at the floor, where he got down on both his knees as if about to pray.

"Jacques?" Falco asked, "What ARE you doing now?"

"Proceed upwards and rescue Slippy," Jacques instructed, "I will stay here."

"And do what?" Fox demanded, rubbing his now aching arm.

Jacques studied him closely, "I will honor my vow to the person we both hold dear, McCloud."

Fox was about to open his mouth again when one of the Terminator's stepped up and looked down at him. He proceeded to say, almost reminding, "You do realise the risks involved in psychic warfare, Brother Mortensen?"

Jacques glanced up at him and responded, "I do, Brother Terminator."

"Nevertheless," the Terminator continued, "I will stay here and see to it that if you fall, then I will quickly dispose of you."

"I concur," Jacques responded, "And to cover me should any of Chaos' minions come our way?"

"That I will do, brother."

"Hey!"

The Terminator and Jacques turned to face the slightly overwhelmed vulpine, whose eyes were crossed in confusion.

"Can I ask what you were just talking about?" Fox queried, scratching his head fur, "You lost me at both 'psychic' and 'warfare.'"

Jacques sighed, believing that this wasn't much time for explanation. He simply said, "I will defend Krystal to the end Fox McCloud…should I fall in battle and Chaos takes her away for the last time. You must go now."

Alarmed at those words, Fox cried, "But…"

"GO, NOW!" Jacques shouted, then suddenly gritted his teeth, clinched the handle of his blade tightly, and entered some sort of trance as his eyes closed slowly and he remained still in his kneeling position.

Falco grabbed his rifle and stepped up to a startled Fox, "I think we should go, Fox. Something tells me we won't like what we might see."

"The bird's right," one of the Kasrkrin said, hellgun raised with one hand, "Let's go save the frog."

"If we must," the other Terminator said, then to his brother Terminator, "Keep Mortensen safe. Lord Macragge demands it. Emperor protect you."

He then made his way up the stairs, followed by the Kasrkrin. Falco and Fox hesitantly followed, with the both of them making their way up five steps before turning around to see Jacques, still kneeling there unmoving. Fox eyes softened with concern as how as family member should feel. Even thought Jacques wasn't of his blood, he was now more like a big brother to him. Falco, through his respect for him as a member of Star Fox, silently wished he would survive.

Fox bit his lip as he eyes narrowed at the Ultramarine-turned-Grey Knight, 'You better survive, Jacques. If you don't, I'll have something to say to you in the next life.'

----------

Katt gently laid Krystal, still gripped by catatonia, on a medical gurney in the infirmary and moved the back of her hand against the vixens, hoping that she could feel it and show some proof of life apart from her ragged breathing and her twitching, yet closed eyes. She looked over to see the Kaskrin covering the doorway while massive gunfire echoed outside.

"Looks like they're up for Round 2, Monroe," the plasma-gun wielding Kasrkrin cried, gun trained on the doorway, he then looked over at Krystal and narrowed his eyes, "You won't be slapping me across the face again once the Cerinian turns on us."

Katt looked over at him and hissed, "Eyes on the door, human."

The Kaskrin gave a throaty growl, before his head turned to face the door again as it opened, and one of the Terminator stood there.

"You two stay here and hold this room," the Terminator ordered, "In case the Cerinian is taken and must be put down quickly."

Katt frowned and bitterly thought, 'Put down? Are we like beasts to you, Space Marine?'

"Fair enough," the hellgun-carrying Kasrkrin agreed.

The Terminator turned away from the door to continue firing his storm bolter down the hallway, and stepped away from view as the door closed. Both Kaskrin glimpsed at one another and exhaled with slight exhaustion. Katt looked back at the stricken vixen and wished that there was something that she could do for her, the idea of killing her tormentor immediately springing to mind. But he could be anywhere on this ship, Lylat, the universe or even sitting back somewhere in the Immaterium.

She shook her head with hints of fatalism, speaking softly, "What now?"

----------

"Uhhhhh…."

The young vixen moaned as she found herself lying on her side in what appeared to be a dark void. She moved her paw to her face to rub her eyes, trying to focus her eyes in this strange and mysterious darkness. She was immediately startled when…

"Wha…?

…she found herself to be completely stripped of her blue flight suit, revealing her beautifully trimmed physical form to the air of this place. She rubbed her forehead, realising that it was painful to touch. As she struggled to stand, she quickly recollected her thoughts and the last thing she remembered; that she and her allies had been fighting their way through the ship, silencing any Cornerian cultist that got in their way. Then suddenly something appeared to have penetrated into her mind.

Burning pain followed by abrupt silence…then transported here to this place.

When she managed to stand up on her own two feet, she immediately wrapped her arms around her bare chest, feeling the cold make her blue hair and fur stand on end. She gritted her teeth in an attempt to stop them chattering, trying to salvage some self-respect and dignity. She didn't jump or was even startled when she once again heard cruel laughter echo around her. Instead she moved her arms away from herself and clinched her fists, a look of unsure ferocity now crossing her features as she turned around to find the Night Lord Sorcerer standing some distance away, staff in hand.

"Well," the Sorcerer begun smirkingly, "You're a pretty little thing aren't you? Doubtless that the followers of Slaanesh, human and kemono, would lust over you."

Unconcerned about his eyes trailing up and down her, she hissed softly, somewhat still feeling insecure and scared, "What have you done to me, Sorcerer? Where are we"

The Sorcerer laughed, "Ha! You do not recognise where we are?"

"Should I?"

"The two of us are within the growing void of your mind, Princess," the Sorcerer explained, sounding deviously, "And here is where you will finally see the truth."

Krystal was now frustrated as well as defiant. Frustrated that they maintain that their word of death, despair, hell and Chaos was, in their eyes, most holy and the path that humanity was meant to follow; though by the end of their crusade there would possibly be nothing left.

"Truth?"

Instinctively she adapted a battle stance adapted from watching Fox's sessions in the Simulator back on the Great Fox, fists still clinched and ready to pounce.

"Your 'truth' is evil, Sorcerer!" Krystal exclaimed bitterly, "Why can't you people see that?"

"Evil?" the Sorcerer responded, startling Krystal as he sounded shocked, "What do you think you are fighting beside to save your pitiful system?"

Krystal glared, "You will not speak of Jacques like that!"

"Besides your precious Jacques, then?" the Sorcerer added, "The Imperium? Their pitiful Administratum and overbearing Inquisition will be the end of humanity. _I_ know that you have heard of their crimes against there own people."

"And you suggest selling our souls to the Dark Gods as an alternative?"

The Sorcerer sighed, "Now you bore me with your ignorance and naivety, girl."

The Sorcerer eyes illuminated a sick purple as he stretched his arms across, staff in hand also glowing. Krystal swore she saw his frown melt through his helm as he suddenly begun to glow and distort, swirling amounts of energy surging around him, contorting and twisting his body around. The air in the area felt like it was being sucked into him as blew past her, causing her to drop her melee stance and instance as she gasped.

The Sorcerer then slowly began to transform himself into a nightmare creature. Horror crossed Krystal's face as the Sorcerer grew in length, where his two feet turned into horse hooves, what appeared to be two muscled arms with crab-like pincers erupt from his back and his head elongated and morphed into that of a pointy-eared horse with long arms. He two original arms bulged with muscle, his right arms brandishing a large daemon sword. The plating of his armour had given way and broke off due to his transformation, revealing the creature's chest and breasts.

The very sight of this purple/pinkish white androgynous abomination sent chills up Krystal's spine, as she recognised that it was a **Greater Daemon** of the Prince of Excess, the Chaos God of Pleasure - Slaanesh.

It was known as the **Keeper of Secrets**, the creature – like it's namesake – could know anyone's most sensuous desires, and use it against them.

Krystal attempted to step away, only to somehow trip and fall on her back. The Keeper growled and trampled forward, claws nipping and snapping away instinctively and swinging his sword arm. The Cerinian felt her strength and her bravery fade away as the Sorcerer, masquerading as the Keeper, begun to pry deeper into her mind, feeding off her negative emotions of helplessness and sadness; as well as the knowledge that nobody would be coming to save her now.

Krystal felt tears sting her eyes, which fuelled the Sorcerer's glee. He chuckled, speaking directly into her mind from within his burrowed daemonic form, "Do not cry, dear Cerninian…"

The Keeper raised it's sword.

"…it will all be over soon."

Suddenly the Keeper was struck upside the head by an spinning, airborne force which came at it from behind, leaving a massive scar at the side of it's head. It screamed in pain and recoiled away from the helpless Krystal was amazed at what was now standing before her, panting gently as he was consumed with rage which shown through his narrowed, green eyes.

Krystal recognised this new combatant as a **Cerinian Royal Guard**, which can be only be described as a creature of pure beauty on par with Krystal herself. A male of her race, he looked almost the same as her with the identical tribal tattoos on his arms and on his left leg. But unlike her he had more masculine body features – A slightly longer snout, his muscular yet athletic exterior including tightly-muscled chest, arms and six-pack abs; his slightly larger height and the fact there was only his loincloth that covered his manly 'extremities'. In other terms of clothing he wore gold-encrusted shoulder and arm guards and a blue, a gold-coloured cape lined with red, fastened with a gold brooch around his neck, leaving his well-shaped torso exposed. And he was armed with a staff identical to Krystal's.

The mysterious Cerinian warrior looked over his shoulder at Krystal, not bothered about the fact she was completely naked, allowing her to look up at him and into his vulpine green eyes. She immediately calmed down and breathed easier, which it was then she recognised the male Cerinian's presence in the Warp and was once again amazed and also alarmed at whom had managed to also step into her mind.

"Jacques!"

He nodded apologetically and his eyes softened as he said, "I am sorry to have breached into your mind like this, Krystal."

He then looked back at the Sorcerer masquerading as the Greater Daemon Keeper of Secrets and glared daggers at the abomination, where one could see nearly see deadly fire brewing in his eyes. He then twirled his staff around with his left hand, before moving it over to his right and spun it faster, then passed it back over to his left hand and gripped the weapon and held it tightly and stopped it's movements. Then holding the staff with both hands, he thrust his hands forward with a grunt. Finally with one hand he drove the blunt point into the ground and putting his free hand against his right hip. He then growled loudly like the fox he imagined himself to be, as if to intimidate his much larger foe.

Krystal remembered those manoeuvres as part of how a Cerinian male warrior challenges his rival to mortal combat, a little war dance to initiate a battle akin to that of a duel. Reasons for doing so would be over the martial pride and honour of that warrior's clan, and always during these duels only one man would emerge as both the victor and the survivor. While Cerinians fight only when they have to and always for honour with the highest of courage, the men have always fought more brutally than the women have.

The Sorcerer/Keeper snorted and chuckled deeply, "I will assume that is you, Jacques Mortensen, pretending to be something lower than yourself: A Cerinian male. The same men who failed to protect their women and children during the Ork's cleansing of that world."

'Jacques' bared his sharp vulpine teeth as he seethed, barely keeping his anger in check upon hearing him curse the Cerinian name. He said softly and rather calmly, "I will make you regret those words, Sorcerer."

He then roared with intense rage, where Krystal swore she saw his eyes glow red for a second…

"BUT I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MY KRYSTAL! MARK MY WORDS, YOU _**WILL**_ SUFFER"

The Sorcerer flexed his four arms, his pincer arms poised to strike while he held his Chaos blade with both hands. He then charged forward and brought his sword down on both 'Jacques' and Krystal. The Grey Knight/Cerinian grabbed Krystal's wrist and dove out of the way, the feeling of the 'daemon's' blade hitting the ground of her mind giving her a sudden jolt and removing all traces of delirium and helplessness.

Both Cerinians hopped back onto their feet, with Krystal imagining herself armed with her own staff and dressed in her traditional tribal gear – Bikini, loincloth, arm and shoulder guards. 'Jacques' immediately saw her somewhat fully clothed and armed with her staff and immediately reasoned she had regained control of her mind. Now all they had to do was to get rid of this intruder.

Krystal gripped her staff firmly and growled menacingly, "Get out of my mind, Sorcerer!"

She swore she saw the Sorcerer/Keeper's horse-like face twist itself into a grin, "Not until I bring you back down to your knees…"

He then turned to 'Jacques'.

"…and destroy your mind within the depths of your beloved."

'Jacques' charged forward crying out…

"YOU WILL NOT, HERETIC!"

…and leapt into the air, delivering another staff strike to the side of the Sorcerer/Keeper's face, while Krystal fired off a volley of flame shot directly into his chest, stunning the Sorcerer and allowing Krystal go at it melee, she jumped forward, leapt off the 'daemon's knee and severed his left arm off. The arm cluttered to the ground and immediately dissipated as atomised blood.

The Sorcerer/Keeper spat out a litany of unintelligible curses and decked Krystal's with his fist holding his sword. She fell flat on her back down on the ground. The 'daemon' then put his foot out to stomp her when 'Jacques' struck again, throwing his own weight against the Sorcerer/Keeper to knock it off balance and allowing Krystal to get back up. The Sorcerer shot forward with his larger pincer at the 'Cerinian male', who parried with his staff against the abomination and fired his ice blaster at it's left leg and turning it into a block of ice.

The 'daemon' quickly and violently shattered the ice with his right pincer, surprising 'Jacques' immensely. He then swung his staff and sliced the 'daemon' across the chest, which retaliated by smacking the 'Cerinian make' with the stump that used to be his left sword arm, sending him recoiling backwards and effectively knocking the stars out of him.

"Jacques!" Krystal exclaimed distressfully as rejoined the fight and charged.

The Sorcerer/Keeper swung his sword at her, but she bent her torso back to dodge the blow, the blade skimming across her chest and head. She then drove her staff point into the beast's belly, and it let out a fierce holler. He swung his free pincer hand as she pulled her staff out, she then performed a cartwheel backward to avoid his counter-attack. 'Jacques' was on the attack again as he came at the 'daemon' from behind and leapt up onto his back, where he drove his staff into the 'daemon's' back, and where his spine should be.

Instead of screaming out in pain, the Sorcerer masquerading as the daemon sniggered, "You are a very quick, little thing Jacques. I suppose that is why you chose to imagine yourself as a nubile Royal Guard against a Greater Daemon like myself."

"You supposed right, heretic," 'Jacques' smirked, showing his sharp fangs, "Now you will face your death here, and in the material reality at the same time!"

Krystal saw the exchange between then as she recovered herself and aimed her staff at 'daemon', preparing to fire off a energy blast as soon as 'Jacques' got off the monster's back. But suddenly the 'daemon' smiled widely and immediately disappeared in a puff of grey smoke, revealing the Night Lord Sorcerer standing in his place, with 'Jacques' still floating in the air above him.

The Sorcerer suddenly spun around and fired crimson warp lightning from his hands, which engulfed 'Jacques', who cried out in pain as he felt like his whole body was set on fire as what little clothing he had on was seared off and turned into ash. He fell back down to the ground naked and on his back, his arms stretched out, but still clutching his staff. Krystal quickly fired a blast of blue energy at the Sorcerer, who parried with his own Bedlam staff and deflected the blast back at Krystal, who swerved her body to the side to avoid it, before she saw the Sorcerer lash out at her with his staff.

She swung her staff and blocked his melee attack, catching a glimpse of a barely conscious 'Jacques' who attempted to get back up. She tried her best to not be distracted by his imaginary Cerinian form's nakedness, as this was the first time she had seen another one of her kind for almost an eternity, despite this whole setting taking place in her mind.

"My, the handsome male is something to gaze at, eh?" the Sorcerer mocked as he stretched his foot out to kick Krystal in the gut and knock her down once again.

He brought the Eye of his staff down at her. She gritted her teeth as she rolled out of harm's way of the Eye's harmful rays of Chaos energy, before thrusting her staff forward and driving her staff through his chest, where it protruded out the other end of his back. The Sorcerer felt his own smirk disappear, as anger took hold of him as he stepped backwards away from Krystal, the staff still lodged in his chest. As Krystal got back up, she saw 'Jacques' getting back onto his feet, immediately suppressing a blush as she saw him naked as a male Cerinian.

'Jacques' stepped forward towards the Sorcerer just as he turned around to face him. He reached forward to grab the staff still protruding out of the Sorcerer and yanked it out. The Sorcerer didn't have time to recuperate, as suddenly the Grey Knight/Cerinian male drove both staffs he carried through the Sorcerer's head, splattering brain and blood all over.

Krystal turned away from the hideous sight, horrified…

----------

…just as in real life the Sorcerer's mind, as well as his head, exploded; the matter splattering the small room and the Cornerian cultists present. Slippy would have freaked out as he felt pieces of brain hit him smack in the forehead, if he hadn't been smiling outwardly, believing that the Sorcerer had been defeated in his own little mind war with Krystal.

One of the cultists after wiping the blood of his face saw Slippy smiling and immediately smacked the poor frog across the face, wiping the smirk off. He then drew a blaster and aimed it at the frog's forehead.

"If we're not gettin' off this tub alive," the canine cultist seethed, "Neither are you, heathen fro…"

The sound of a heavy bolter letting loose was heard outside and stopped the cultist's motions as all eyes turned to the door. Outside a Chaos Marine Havoc gripped his heavy bolter tightly and held the trigger down the second he saw a wily vulpine dash up it. Fox had dove through the nearest door into another small bloodstained room, the corpse of it's previous canine prisoner sprawled out on the floor, having bled out from the stumps that used to be his arms and legs.

Fox ignored the sight and the smell and gripped his boltpistol. He stuck his head out from the doorway looking down the hall towards the Chaos Marine and the steel door he was guarding. He quickly fired his pistol, the bolt piercing through the Marine's hand, which held the large high-calibre gun. He dropped the heavy bolter and was rendered defenceless as the Terminator now appeared from the staircase and fired, his storm bolts filling the Chaos Marine Havoc's head full of hulls.

Fox broke cover…

'Here I come, Slippy…'

…and charged down the hallway just as the Chaos Marine toppled backwards into the doorway and bringing it, his corpse laying on top of it on the floor. Fox McCloud dove forward into the room, boltgun still drawn. When he landed on knee he was shocked to see Slippy, his face bruised, tied to a chair with four cultists hanging around, one of which had a blaster trained on Slippy's head. And the still standing body of a headless Sorcerer, comically still holding his staff.

Giving into his instincts, Fox fired his boltpistol semi-automatic and riddled the cultist's with holes, the armed cultist feeling his gun-hand get blown off before being shot in the crutch and dying ten seconds later from the shock. Fox was now exhaling loudly, just as the Terminator present spoke into his vox communicator.

"We have found the amphibian," the Terminator reported, "Secondary objective accomplished."

Fox stood up and found Slippy was smiling at him oddly. Fox queered his eyebrows as he ejected the emoty clip from his boltpistol.

"H…hey Fox," Slippy had to greet, "Nice of you to drop by."

Fox smiled back as he stepped behind Fox to untie him, nonchalantly replying, "Figured it was about time we paid a visit."

Slippy rubbed his wrists, quickly asking alarmed, "My dad? Amanda?"

_They're fine_, _Toad, _Sturnn reported over Fox's communicator, _Tigerius, have you hacked into the ship's computer yet?_

_Brother Sachiel is splicing the computer as we speak, General, _the Chief Librarian responded, _We will soon have every detail of the Despoiler's involvement here in Lylat, and then we will blow this hulk to the Kemono's scorching hell._

"Nicely said," Fox noted annoyed, "Now. About Jacques and Krystal?"

----------

Krystal, with her back still turned to 'Jacques' and the splattered corpse of the Sorcerer, moved her arms around herself as she closed her eyes and begun to sob quietly, feeling the cold and discontent return to her with full force. She felt like was about to completely lose her senses in this strange place, which the Sorcerer had referred to it as her mind being slowly corrupted by the Warp. She never thought she would ever go face to face with another Greater Daemon, and with it being a figment of the Sorcerer's imagination and within her own damn mind was just too much to bear.

"Krystal?"

Her eyes shot open as she felt two furry paws grasp her shoulders in a comforting matter, feeling hot breath against the back of her neck. She turned her head to the side to see that it was Jacques still as the Cerinian male Royal Guard and that he was smiling gently, his staff sheathed on his back. Krystal moved her right hand to her left shoulder to grasp his hand and squeezing it gently.

"Your mind is clear now," 'Jacques' stated, "The Night Lord Sorcerer can not harm you, or anyone else ever again."

Krystal nodded and turned to face him fully, seeing his face and torso covered in the Sorcerer's blood; suppressing a blush as she forced herself to look only into his eyes and now on his nakedness. This time she wasn't turned off by the sight, rather it relieved her to see that her protector was all right and had removed the intruder from her consciousness. 'Jacques' removed his staff from his back and tossed it aside, where it turned into atomised fragments and dissipated.

"It is time we both returned to reality," Jacques added, letting go of her hand.

Krystal eyes still softened, "How do we do that?"

He smiled warmly and peered in close, whispering gently into her ear, "Close your eyes."

That Krystal did…

----------

…and found herself returned to reality, lying on her side on the cold, steel floor of the battlecruiser's medical centre, with Katt standing by her side with her blaster drawn and trained on the door. Krystal moved her hands, finding out she still had her staff in her hand, and moaned gently, which caught Katt's annoyed, yet joyously relieved attention.

"Oh!" she exclaimed with mock annoyance, looking down at her and away from the door, "Did you enjoy your nap?"

The door suddenly opened and a axe-wielding cultist rushed in. Krystal raised her staff and projected a fire at him, setting him on fire and flying back out into the hallway to hastily burn to death. Krystal narrowed her eyes and used her staff as leverage to help herself up on to her feet.

She sighed, "It could have been better. Where's Fox and the others?"

_I'm here, Krys, _Fox said over the com, which greatly relieved Krystal, _And we've got Slippy here._

"Is he alright?"

Yep, apart from a bruised face courtesy of an ironhanded bitch slap, I'm all right, Slippy interrupted and squealed happily. 

Krystal smiled, glad to hear that annoying, yet friendly voice, "Slippy."

Hi Krystal, don't mean to sound chirpy in a heckhole like this, but it's good to hear your voice again. 

"Likewise, Slippy. Where are you now?"

Fox spoke again, _We're on our way to the bridge. The Marines, OUR Marines, have it under control. We just need to take care of the remaining cultists and we'll be on easy street from here on out._

"I understand, Fox," Krystal complied, then added with eyes downcast, "We should pray it will be a good 'out.'"

Meanwhile Jacques was still kneeling with his head bowed and the point of his sword still embedded in the floor. The Terminator still watched him quietly, still in his trance unmoving. The Terminator's vox beeped, causing him to lower his storm bolter.

_Brother Terminator, _came Tiberius over the vox, _What of Brother Mortensen?_

Jacques exhaled loudly and opened his eyes, before standing up and revealing his grim, yet determined face, still gripping his Nemesis Force sword. The Terminator Marine's eyes widened, somewhat speechless of him waking himself up right on time when asked for a status report. The Terminator however wasn't fazed for long.

"He has woken, Brother Librarian," the Terminator responded to the vox, before addressing Jacques, "Have you preserved the Cerininan?"

"I have," Jacques responded, "Now we must…"

"Get back to Krystal!"

Jacques and the Terminator turned to find Fox, Slippy and their team trailing down the staircase, Fox having called out to them. When Jacques was in Slippy's eyeshot, the frog comically shrieked out upon seeing him clad no longer in his familiar Ultramarine power armor but in Grey Knight Aegis Power armor, whose shining visage nearly blinded the poor frog.

"Jacques?" Slippy cried out, shielding his eyes as his armor shined brightly for a brief second.

Jacques smiled, "Slippy."

"You…you can't be Jacques," Slippy stuttered in disbelief which caused Jacques to drop his smile, observing him closely, the next thing that caught his eye was the '7' shaped scar on the side of his face. He suddenly became angry as he clinched his fists and blurted, "What have you done with Jacques?"

Fox was alarmed and backed away from the fuming frog, "Slippy? What's wrong with you?"

"Hey, is Slippy being angry?" Falco called out as he ran down the stairs into view, "Slippy?" 

Jacques stepped forward towards the stairs where Fox, Slippy and Falco stood; then suddenly Slippy snatched Fox's boltpistol from his hand and aimed it at Jacques' head, his finger immediately skimming the pistol's trigger, getting a feel for the human-made metal. Fox felt his heart pound painfully in his chest as he saw, of all people, Slippy threatening Jacques. Falco looked at his friend and teammate with disbelief as well, while the Terminators and the Kasrkrin all trained their weapons at the frog, preparing to put him down should he dare pull the trigger.

Slippy glared, "What the hell are you, human? Why do you look like Jacques Mortensen? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HIM?"

Jacques looked at Slippy softly, a trace of sadness crossing his face; not expecting someone formally so high-spirited, uplifting and somewhat docile to act like this. Somehow he couldn't blame him, but then again who would? Especially if Slippy had heard of the Inquisition's indiscretions towards both aliens and humans in the past, which should be pointed out that Jacques never discussed the topic of the Imperial Inquisition with Slippy.

_What's going on over there? _Sturnn's voice came over Fox's communicator, _Situation?_

Still standing beside Slippy, Fox answered his communicator with one word, "Complicated."

----------

Sturnn's look surprised as he was given his answer, completely forgetting about the gunfire around him as he took cover behind a corner along with Plymouth and Beltino, the Commissar looking confused as well. He and Sturnn turned to each other and glanced questioningly.

"Complicated?" they both questioned.

----------

Jakob's communicator picked that last transmission up as well, as he and his fellow warriors traversed through the ship towards the engineering level of the Infinity. One of his guns in hand, his other had been holstered so that he could tap his communicator earpiece.

'Complicated?' he thought, 'Whatever could the vulpine mean?'

----------

"Complicated? It figures. Would you have expected the amphibian anthropomorphic to lash out at a friend, let alone point a weapon directly between his eyes?"

"If the Farseer is true to her words, then this is one of those times where he drops his docility in favour for behaviour typical to the mon'keigh."

"It is saddening that the peoples of Lylat are learning so much from the humans."

"And yet they will need each other by the end."

The two elf-like Eldar sat in the cockpit of their sleek, shiny and sharp-looking scout shuttle miles away from the battle at the Beltino Research Station. Safely hidden behind a holofield conviently disguising them as a large asteroid and themselves clad in black and white robes typical of Craftworld Ulthwe fielded Rangers. Though their masks were off, their hoods were up and obscured their heads and faces from view, it could be heard that one of them was a female.

The Ranger sitting on the left chair in the cockpit turned to the other, and spoke in a feminine voice, "Delanos, an alliance between the Lylatians and the Imperials will now come to fruition, on part thanks to the Archon."

Still looking out the crystalline frontal windows, the other Ranger known as Delanos responded, "But we have yet to see if it will last throughout the duration of this terrible war, Shira?"

"That is yet to be seen by our own eyes, Delanos my love," Shira responded, smiling gently as she pulled back her hood some in order for him to see it, letting some of her long reddish hair hang out. "Only the Farseer's eyes can look beyond the events playing out before us."

Delanos moved his hands forward to grab control of the mechanical reins that served as the ship's controls, "Then we must return back to the Wraith ship and alert her of her discoveries, where afterwards the Warhost will be assembled. Then we will take the next appropriate step."

Shira nodded, then queried, "When do you believe that we will reveal ourselves to this alliance?"

"When the Warhost dictates so. And even then it will be at the right time."

"But before then the Archon would have sensed our presence."

"And his other, the Winged Fox?"

"The Farseer said his time will come."

"And should we have faith in him?"

"We are yet to decide."

"What about the words of the Dreamer of Ulthwe?"

Shira was silent for a moment, realising he had just brought up the subject of her Taldeer and her 'visions', and what had happened ten years before. She turned back to Delanos and put a delicate hand over his own equally slender, yet masculine hand, "I…I can not be sure, and that makes me fearful."

Delanos looked at his partner gently, into her reddish orbs and could see and tell by her wavering voice that she was frightened, despite her confident exterior. He gave her a smile that mirrored that one she had given him and replied, "Do not be afraid. She can not fail again."

He then narrowed his eyes, as he felt discontented.

"The Archon and his retinue will see to that."

The Eldar scout shuttle dropped it's holofield and about turned and accelerated forward away into the blackness of space. If one were to travel to their position, either tapped into the Warp or not, they would vaguely hear echoes of their conversation, and could sense the strands of intelligence, determination and sadness that held those words together.

But since no one would be able to fly past the space leading towards Aquas and the Beltino Research Station in a long time that would never come to be.


	15. Chapter 14: Heated Negotiations

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

A/N: Here's the conclusion to the Beltino Station battle.

* * *

Chapter 14 – Heated Negotiations

* * *

_The minute you try to talk business with him he takes the attitude that he is a gentleman and a scholar, and the moment you try to approach him on the level of his moral integrity he starts to talk business._  
**- Raymond Chandler, U.S. Writer of Detective Fiction, 2****nd**** Millennium**

The space battle around the Beltino Space Station was beginning to reach it's climax, with the combined might of the human fighters, Imperial and Eden breakaway, prevailing over the Tainted Cornerian fighters and Chaos claw fighters, leaving only two Chaos cruisers left. One of which Star Fox realised they were still on board and the other found several Starhawk bombers in a V formation bearing down on, payloads of high-explosive missiles ready.

The lead Imperial Starhawk's main pilot reported into the vox, "We have the target in sights. Permission to engage?"

He was replied with only silence for a few seconds, before an embittered Admiral Nero voxed back, _Destroy that damned hulk and return back to rearm…_

The lead pilot then heard nothing but more silence and some static, then he heard Nero mutter something about blowing up the Great Fox and cleansing the xeno-heretics of their sin, before the vox turned off. The pilot looked incredulous after hearing that, then looked straight ahead at their target, which was firing back desperately at his ship and those around him.

"Alright wing," the pilot said, flipping some switches above him and pairing to accelerate, "Let's take care of this corrupted piece of metal and call it a morning."

The Starhawks accelerated forward and each one released a devastating volley of missiles, which struck the side of the cruiser and racking the hull with explosions, which tore out the other side of the ship. They launched a second volley, which struck the bridge area and destroyed it. A minute later the cruiser exploded in a near-blinding light, it's tainted crew consumed by the flames that somehow managed to ignite even in the cold, airless vacuum of outer space.

The pilot of the lead Starhawk smiled and tapped his mouthpiece vox, "Target destroyed. We get to eat tonight, boys."

_There's only one Chaos cruiser left, _another pilot informed the crew of the lead Starhawk, _Should we take care of that as well?_

"Not until the warriors of Ultramar, and our xeno 'allies'…" the lead pilot rolled his eyes, "…get off it."

_Good reasoning, wing leader._

The lead pilot's was startled, "G…Governor-Militant Alexander?"

_My men are on board that ship, and so is Mortensen and Star Fox, _Alexander explained fervently, _And I believe it'll be in your best interests not to blow them all to hell._

Admiral Nero from the bridge of his command ship looked interested and he spoke into the vox, "Why is that? Do you plan on handing them over yourself?"

Alexander sounded smug, _Perhaps…perhaps not. Depends if Imperial Guard High Command of Segmentum Ultima is willing to conduct a formal investigation into the Blood Ravens' actions on Kronus before, during and following the Dark Crusade and reinstate my forces into the service of the God-Emperor._

"That would not be likely," Nero hissed, "You have already damned yourself by consorting with the traitor Mortensen and his xeno allies."

_Then we have nothing to discuss about, _Alexander voxed grimly, _You try to turn on us and we'll fight back to the last man, and should we fall the Emperor will never forget our service in his name._

The vox switched off, leaving a very frustrated Nero who begun to believe he was slowly being surrounded by traitors to humanity, and the xeno scum who had turned them all against Holy Terra. If it hadn't been for Chaos, he would have ordered his entire battlegroup to engage the Eden fleet and take them all out in one stroke. But since Chaos was here…

'How in Emperor's name are we going to deal with all these heretics?' he rubbed his chin, beginning to feel uncomfortable, 'Both traitor and xeno?'

----------

La'Jakob made sure to be cautious as he and his fire team, led by the Shas'ui, approached the lead leading into engineering, stepping over the bodies of both dead Tau security and Night Lord Chaos Space Marine, the former having been quickly annihilated after attempting to massacre hapless Tau civilians. Luckily they were kept pinned down by the security Fire Warriors, holding them long enough for Jakob and his team to join the battle and finish them off.

Jakob attempted to clear his mind by focusing, getting ready for what untold horror could be waiting for him and his ilk behind the door, which has the word ENGINEERING scribbled in the Tau language on it. Knowing he will up for more combat in tight quarters, he made sure to shoulder his plasma carbine and instead armed himself with his plasma machine-guns.

He then recanted to himself that very important quote from O'Shovah, which sums about the Enclaves way of fighting and honour…

'Learn to shorten your reach!' Jakob recited mentally, 'If your foe can come close enough to negate your striking power, all stratagem is lost and when all stratagem is lost, the battle is lost.'

_A/N: Strong words, eh SF Ghost? _

The doors suddenly opened sideways and the hideous sight of a Chaos _**Obliterator**_ greeted them. A second before Jakob and the Tau dove for the floor the trenchcoat Gue'vesa unfortunately took in and assimilated the image of the power-armored monstrosity into his brain. He committed to memory the fact that he, or it, was a hulking mass of machine and power armour with his own skin and muscles wrapped it around it, especially over his massive weapons consisting of a lascannon, a meltagun and a heavy bolter.

Seeing through his mechanical eye implants the heavily armed (not to mentioned shocked) Tau standing before him, he growled…

"Xeno blueskins…must OBLITERATE!"

…and fired his tri-barreled melta-gun, lobbing gobs of heat at the Tau. Jakob felt like he just contracted heat stroke as he dodged the blast by skidding onto his back. The other Tau dodged as well as they put their backs up against the wall of the corridor and opened fire on the Obliterator. Jakob gave a throaty Tau as he leapt back upon his feet and charged the Obliterator. He noticed how his left arm muscles held his guns together, so he engaged his blades went straight for it. The Obliterator guessed his intention and stepped forwards to swing his right arm.

Jakob cried out as he was slammed into the doorway, but he quickly recovered and slid back down onto the foot and swung his blade, striking the flesh and muscles around his legs. The Obliterator, still feeling plasma pelt him from the Tau, gritted his teeth in pain as he balanced himself on his other foot, no longer feeling anything in his left foot. Jakob skidded underneath him and appeared behind him, deciding to strike him from behind.

'Everything has a weakness…' he thought determinedly.

He then noticed that the Obliterator's steel infused spine was exposed, surprising him. He then quickly noted, smirking, in his head how some weaknesses are more obvious than others are. He grabbed his pulse carbine and aimed it a the spine, and before the Obliterator can turn around to counter Jakob held the trigger down and melted the spine away, immediately bringing paralysis down on the hulking mass of flesh and bone.

'Large, threatening and over-equipped does not always win the fight,' Jakob reasoned in his mind, just as he rolled backwards out of the way as the hulk toppled over backwards.

His Tau comrades quickly hopped over the Obliterator's unmoving body as they proceeded into Engineering, where the Shas'ui stayed behind to finish off the Chaos hulk, with a dozen plasma blasts to it's face. Once they all breached engineering, they found the two story large chamber containing the ship main plasma/propulsion drive, they found another Obliterator guarding another Chaos Marine, who appeared to be arming a highly-decorative explosive device with the Chaos symbol imprinted all over it. And it was situated right next to the main engine.

"ETHEREALS PROTECT US!" Tash cried out, "A BOMB!"

The Shas'ui gritted his teeth almost enough to crack them, "TAKE THEM DOWN!"

Bolter, melta and plasma fire was exchanged all around as the Fire Warriors charged into the room, letting the sight of the dead Tau already in the room fuel their rage. The Obliterators fired his lascannon and just missed Jakob just as he and the Fire Warriors all took cover. The Chaos Marine near the bomb quickly added the finishing touches on the bomb, before producing what appeared to be a remote. The Shas'ui immediately guessed that it was the detonator and immediately broke cover from behind the stairs leading upwards to the catwalk above.

The Chaos Marines immediately saw that he was exposed and fired at him, the Shas'ui catching a bolt in his shoulder. He fired his plasma carbine at the Marine near the bomb and blew the detonator out of his hand, just as the Shas'ui fell back down flat on his back. Immediately one of the Shas'la grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him deeper behind cover, provoking the remaining Shas'la and Jakob to find fight harder.

Jakob continued firing his rifle until he inevitably ran out of ammunition. He dropped his rifle and exchanged it for his submachine-guns just as he noticed that the Chaos Marine pulled out his sword and begun to strike the bomb, apparently attempting to make it explode; all the while his comrades continued firing their deadly weapons and keeping the Tau pinned down.

'Only one chance,' Jakob thought, seeing the stairs leading to walkways above situated conveniently over the engines.

He broke cover and dashed up the stairway, immediately dodging heavy bolter fire from the Obliterator, whom had noticed a black-garbed blur rushing upwards. Jakob painfully dove and rolled forward across the metal walkway, immediately dodging a lascannon blast. The still downed Shas'ui looked up from cover and noticed Jakob's rushing towards the enemy above and immediately cursed his habitual forwardness.

'Damn it all,' he thought, before grabbing the Shas'la aiding him by the shoulder and demanded, "Get…ready to cover him!"

"Yes, sir!" the Shas'la exclaimed, grabbing his rifle and dashing over to the other Fire Warriors still firing at the Traitor Marines.

The Chaos Marine with the bomb quickly grew tired of hacking away at the bomb and immediately went for his boltpistol. He then looked up and noticed Jakob above him, plasma guns drawn and looking ready to jump over the railing and down to face him. The Obliterator's lascannon pierced through the walkway and prompted Jakob to leap over and down towards the engines and right behind the Traitor Marines. The Marine next to the bomb raised his boltpistol and managed to let off a shot, which skimmed past Jakob's shoulder, just as he fell down and feet first into the Chaos Marine's head, knocking him back. The plasma machine-guns then had their triggers held down as they discharged into the Marine chest, melting the armor away and exposing the flesh, which was then bombarded with plasma and tore apart, killing the Marine.

He then grabbed the boltpistol off the floor just as the Obliterator turn around, and begun firing at it's face, sending foot long bolts straight through it's skull and splattering his mind, rendering him braindead. The Fire Warriors opened fire at it's exposed back and finished him off, before they all abandoned their cover to join Jakob; who already was on his knees before the bomb, quickly deciphering how to disarm it.

"Please tell me that you know how to disarm gue'la explosives!" Tash exclaimed, slightly panicked.

Jakob skimmed his fingers over the bomb till he reached what appeared to be the casing. He pulled the cover apart until he saw what appeared to be a spinning ball of crimson energy encased in a cube surrounded by various colored wires. Jakob gulped softly yet exhaled calmly, as did some of the other Tau.

"I…I've never seen a Chaos distort weapon up close before," Jakob confessed, staring into it's explosive core, which was slowly beginning to spin faster, which indicated to them that it was a bad sign.

"What do we do?" another Tau asked, "What if this thing explodes? The Ethereal will not survive…"

"…nor will we for that matter," Jakob added and reminded him, as he rolled his eyes trying to think of an alternative to risk detonating the bomb if he tries to disarm it. His eyes shot open as he swore he sensed a light bulb turn on in his head.

"I have the solution," Jakob grinned in spite of himself.

A minute later those same Tau all held the bomb in their hands as they rushed, almost in a panic, through the ship towards the airlocks…

"OUT OF THE WAY! BOMB ON THE MOVE!"

…with civilians and other Fire Warriors diving out of the way with members of the Jakob's team crying out for them to make way. Jakob felt his heart beat painfully against his chest as he and Tash gripped one end of the bomb while two other Tau held the other side, with the last three members clearing the way down the hallway. They took another left…

"OPEN THE DOOR, NOW!"

…and ran into the large sized hangar, seeing Air Caste members either receiving medical attention after being attacked by Chaos Marines (who all by now laid dead and scattered over the ship floors), making sure to direct them towards the nearest airlock, or simply getting out of the way. Alarms blared all around as they opened one of the outer doors and the bomb was shoved in, the doors slamming shut behind it.

"Thank T'au!" one of the Tau exclaimed, "Blow airlock NOW!"

Jakob nodded and opened the switchboard to the side of the door, slamming his fist on the round button entitled in the Tau language DANGER, and the outer door tore itself wide open and the vacuum of space sent the bomb spiraling into the black. The gue'la then let out a sigh of relief, before reality struck him again. One of the Fire Warriors noticed his look of shock and immediately counseled him with a smile.

"Don't worry, La'Jakob," the Shas'la assured him, "The bomb will be propelled towards the back of our fleet, including the Great Fox."

Jakob shook his head and looked over at him, "That wasn't what I was worried about."

----------

The Chaos bomb spiraled past the Great Fox II being towed behind the Tau Explorer, numerous Earth Caste drones still working on repairing the Lylatian cruiser. The bomb's core spun faster and faster until suddenly the glass surrounding the energy shattered and it exploded in a massive crimson fireball, sending shockwaves which swept over the Great Fox II, the Infinity, and much of the Eden fleet.

Within the ships navigation equipment and computers went haywire, and within the flagship Augustus General 'Governor-Militant' Alexander grabbed out of the nearest door handle on the bridge as to not tumble down on the ground. He gripped the bar and barked out…

"Report!"

Immediately one of the support techs reported back, "Sensors detected a massive explosion from the back of the fleet. It…it came from the Tau craft."

"Was it a Tau explosive device?"

"Negative. Detecting massive Warp fluctuations emitting from the explosion. It's a Chaos-infused explosion, sir."

Alexander's eyes widened as he stepped towards the communication panel and asked, "How are our communications?"

"Still functioning, sir."

"Open a vox with Mortensen."

"Right away sir."

----------

With the sickening sound of armor being torn from flesh and bone, Sturnn cried out in might as he pulled his lightning claws from the chest of another Chaos Marine. He then shoved his left blade with the storm bolter built into through the Marine's skull, firing the bolter and blowing the rest of his head apart. Following close behind was Plymouth and their naval officer escorts, with Beltino in tow…and whom tried to advert his eyes from the dead Chaos Marine that Sturnn had just slain.

"Tell me, professor," Sturnn said as they backed against the wall near a corner, "Are we close?"

"I recognize this hallway anywhere," Beltino responded, "The control room is not far here."

Sturnn nodded, before stepping away from the corner, claws drawn and ready. Instead of facing off with more Chaos Marine, he found himself staring down a squad of Guardsmen, who were startled at seeing their general standing before them. Sturnn immediately recognized Sergeant Armiel. Armiel and those with him immediately stood to a attention and saluted.

"General, sir!" Armiel exclaimed.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sturnn asked.

"We were planning on…"

Armiel then noticed Commissar Plymouth and immediately felt he couldn't make his tongue work.

"Er…awaiting further orders, sir," Armiel managed to let out.

"We are securing this station," Sturnn explained, then indicated Beltino, "And this Lylatian is showing us the way. You men will join us and keep him safe for the time being."

Beltino was visibly startled, 'Time being?'

"Sir yes sir," Armiel cried, him and his squad gripping their weapons, the Guardsmen all slapping new power packs in their lasguns. Two Guardsmen pulling out their bayonets and attaching underneath their gun barrels.

"We're ready to go, sir!" one of the Guardsmen exclaimed.

Suddenly a Chaos Marine punched his way out through an elevator door, immediately drawing the attention of the Imperials, who aimed their las-weapons at him, fingers on the triggers. Safely behind the humans, Beltino watched quietly and carefully, preparing to deduce in his mind the effectiveness of standard Imperial Guardsmen against a Chaos Space Marine.

Beltino remembered how Cornerian propaganda always labeled the Imperial Guard as an army of weaklings compared to the barbaric Space Marines. It was said that their las-weapons equivalent in power was that of a high-powered flashlight and how they always relied on sheer numbers to win the day and Commissars to make sure their feet don't get cold. So far it would seem that this was true…except for the part about being weaklings.

'The humans of the Guard have to be the most bravest fighting men in the universe,' Beltino thought, 'No genetic conditioning, hardly any advanced weaponry or training…just a gun with a knife attached and some guts behind it. Just purebred humans up against the worst horrors in the universe.'

The sounds of laser emitting from rifles brought him back to reality as the Guardsmen fired at the Chaos Marine as he raised his boltgun and fired back. But he found he was at a disadvantage as, despite being a superhuman, he was outnumbered and outmatched by the likes of the Guardsmen and their General Sturnn. The general didn't feel anything as a bolter round skimmed past his shoulder and right past Beltino. He then fired his storm bolter, the force of the high-impact bolts tearing through the Chaos Marine's chest and splattering the elevator behind him with gore.

Without saying a word, Sturnn turned around and grabbed Beltino by the scruff of his suit, shoving him forward and pointing his finger down the hall. The elder frog sighed…

"This way."

…and they continued forward, weapons still drawn and especially the Commissar's laspistol, which was still trained on the back of Beltino's head. Sturnn glanced over at Plymouth…

"You can probably point that thing away from him now," he told him assuredly, "He's not going anywhere."

"I say he will not either, general."

Plymouth lowered his laspistol as they continued to move forward through the station, passing by several offices and labs, before stopping in front of the door leading into the control room. By then the sounds of gunfire, men yelling and cursing and Chaotic incantation had ceased altogether, which immediately made Sturnn feel anxious.

He reached for the nearest Guardsmen with a vox communicator on his back and grabbed the com piece. Sturnn then said into it, "This is General Sturnn to Hangar and Ultra…respond, over!"

To his relief the responses were quick…

_This is the Hangar…area has been secured. Not detecting anymore Chaos intrusion in our sector, over._

_This is the Chief Librarian Tigerius. It would seem our brothers have secured the ship, and are splicing into the starship's cruisers as of now._

Sturnn frowned, "We may need a Cornerian system to understand what we have found."

Tigerius sounded smug as he replied, _I am sure that Star Fox will accommodate that need._

"If they don't?"

_They will._

Beltino pulled out what appeared to be keycard; with his name, position and serial number inscribed on it, and flipped it through the scanner…

**Access granted.**

…one computerized voice verification later the doors slid open and Beltino stepped through the door. He was visibly surprised to find that there were technical personnel still at their consoles, some of which were staring anxiously through the windows at the approaching Imperial fleet. One of the scientists, white haired male Cornerian Cocker Spaniel, spun around…

"Professor Beltino!"

…and approached him quickly, looking very relieved at seeing the frog.

Beltino nodded, "Dr. Stiles."

"Thank God…you escaped being rounded up by those…those…"

Stiles then finished his sentence vehemently.

"…skinned monkeys."

Beltino sighed sadly and stepped aside, revealing the Imperial standing behind him in the doorway, "Not quite."

Stiles cried out comically at seeing the humans and begun stepping back slowly just as they walked in, with Sturnn pushing Beltino aside and immediately intimidating the dozen tech personnel in the control room. Plymouth looked out the window to see the Imperial fleet and smiled, not noticing any more explosions or signs of conflict surrounding the station or the fleet.

"General," the Commissar said joyfully, "We have won this fight. This sector is now under our control."

Stiles backed up against a console as he muttered, "It'll never be under your control, Imperial."

Beltino cringed and immediately pulled faces at Stiles, urging him to keep silent and not challenge the humans' authority. He failed however and Stiles was suddenly nailed in the mouth by the Commissar's fist, sending him sprawling onto the ground. The spaniel spat some blood and a canine tooth and glared back, as if daring Plymouth to try something else. Plymouth however turned to Sturnn…

"Awaiting further directive, General!" Plymouth exclaimed, standing to attention with his sabre clutched tightly.

Sturnn exhaled out of his nose and turned to the science personnel, who had now left their posts and were huddling in the corner or the room with lasguns trained on them. Sturnn frowned and stepped forward towards the frightened tech personnel, who were surprised immensely, when Sturnn waved Armiel and his squad's lasguns down.

"We have no intention of hurting you people," Sturnn announced, "But we do have the intention of bringing judgement down on whoever threatens the stabilization of the God-Emperor's realm and whomever dares aid them in their quest."

He then frowned.

"If you help us in bringing those heretics to justice, then you will be spared and will not fear Imperial retribution. Understand?"

Beltino stepped forward and attempted to reason, "How can we?"

"Help us?"

"Yes?"

"First you can establish a communication link between this station and our flagship, which will allow us to download whatever research data you have bottled up in your network to our computers."

No doubt Beltino reaction was a mix of both anger and surprise, "What will you do with that information?"

"Whatever we please," Plymouth retorted harshly, "And watch your tone!"

"Will your own systems be compatible with ours?" Beltino asked again. He then stepped forward towards the nearest console and brought up the DATA EXTERNAL TRANSFER application on the screen.

Sturnn raised an eyebrow as he replied, sounding exasperated; "For the sake of all our lives I hope so, Director."

----------

All around the bridge area of the Chaos-held Cornerian frigate the dead littered the floors, each one filled with foot-length holes with blood still oozing out onto the floor and their internal organs in messes, some of which were also on the floor. The Terminators and the Kasrkrin, besides that unfortunate purebred human back in the dressing room, didn't suffer a single casualty in breaching the bridge and massacring the cultists within it. Right now the Techmarine Brother Sachiel was splicing into the main computer with the help of a floating **servi-skull,**. This was a mechanically augmented human skull of a dead heretic with a hacking/splicing device embedded within it, with the ability to store data in it similar to the Imperial **cognicator **computer.

The skull beeped as it probed into the bridge's main console, downloading several many different hundred files into itself, under the watchful eyes of Sachiel. Whom at the same time had been listening in on the vox communication las-lines between the ship and the Imperial Fleet, in particular Jacques' and Fox McCloud's 'complicated' situation.

"The situation is 'complicated'?" the surviving Kasrkrin commented, "What the hell does that mean?"

Sachiel looked over at the Kasrkrin and responded, "We are yet to know, though my instincts tell me that it has something to do with Brother Mortensen."

The Techmarine and the Terminators heard the Kasrkrin chuckle, before he remarked, "Well in that case, problem solved."

"What?"

"The Archon never let's anything get in his way," the Kasrkrin explained proudly, "There is nothing he can't overcome."

The Marines present let those words sink into their head, and thought and pondered over it intellectually for a few seconds, which to the average human it equalled hours. They were curious as to why they referred to their misplaced Battle-Brother as the 'Archon', which was known to antiquities as 'leader', or a person holding some sort of high status.

"I would not be surprised," Sachiel spoke out loud, commenting on what the Kasrkrin said and what he and his brothers had each thought together.

----------

Everyone suddenly was quiet as Jacques calmly stared down the barrel of Fox's silver boltpistol, currently in the shaking hands of a petrified Slippy Toad. He believe that the human standing before him was not his friend and former 'engineering assistant' in the engine room or hangar area back on the Great Fox II. He himself found Imperial guns trained on him as well, ready to blow his head off should he pull the trigger and send a bolt hurtling towards Jacques' thick skull.

"Er…Slippy, you can put the gun down now," Falco drawled uncomfortably, "You're rescued."

Slippy growled, which immediately startled Fox, "No way! Not until the guy standing before me tells me what he did with Jacques!"

"He IS Jacques Mortensen!" one of the Kasrkrin exclaimed, "You dumbass frog! Your shock, awe, anger and confusion are costing us valuable seconds!"

Fox frowned, seeing that Slippy wasn't going to budge, "Engineer Slippy Toad, as your commanding officer, I order you to lower that bolter right now and stop endangering the lives of a teammate."

Slippy shook his head firmly and said, his voice now wavering as tears now formed in his eyes, "N…no…he can't be Jacques Mortensen. Jacques Mortensen wouldn't let himself…become an Inquisitorial grunt."

Surprised, Jacques asked, "How do you know I appear to be a member of the Chamber-Militant of the Ordo Mall…?"

Slippy glared again and interrupted him, "It's obvious you work for those bigots! You look so high-and-mighty in your shining armour it's making me sick!"

He noticed that Jacques now looked sullen as he glanced down at the ground, no longer focusing on the boltpistol Slippy aimed at him. Jacques muttered, "Not as sick as a I feel when I see myself in the mirror."

Slippy's eyes widened, then his tone of voice became softer and more calmer, "What?"

_In the name of the God-Emperor, if that furry plans to kill Mortensen, can any LOYAL Imperial troops put him down? _Nero bellowed over the coms, _I want the xeno-heretic alive long enough to stand re trial, then executed for good this time._

The Terminator lowered his storm bolter, previously aimed at Slippy's head, then responded coolly, "We follow orders from our Chapter-Master, and him alone, Admiral."

Then came Calgar's voice, which relieved Fox, Falco and Jacques at first, but the two Lylatians were mortified when he spoke, _If Toad will not comply with evacuation and is threatening the life of our objective, then by all means eliminate him as a threat._

_Received, brother._

Fox immediately cried out…

"NO!"

…and grabbed Slippy by the shoulders and made him look at his panicked face. Panic, for feeling that his lifelong friend may meet his end from a bolter round to the forehead. Slippy shook gently with fear as he saw that Fox now begun to glare at him.

"Look at me, Slippy!" Fox said firmly, "Are you looking at me?"

Slippy nodded quickly, still sensing guns still trained on him.

"Now look straight at that seven-to-eight-foot intergalactic knight and see if you recognise anyone."

Still feeling Fox grip him by the shoulders, Slippy slowly turned his head to face Jacques standing before him and the stairs. He forced himself to study him gently, first by observing the silvery-grey power armour he wore adorned with runes and red purity seals and his blue-coloured loincloth with Ultramarine symbol and cape, and how it made him look bigger than normal (for a seven-foot genetically-enhanced superhuman). Then at his face that included his green-coloured eyes with slight age wrinkles around them, letting it be known he was thirty, the two small mechanical implants over his right eye and the 7 shaped scar on the side of his face.

"Anything yet?"

Slippy found himself drawn into the Grey Knight's familiar looking eyes, and how they reminded him of Star Fox's 'Heavy Weapon's Specialist', blademaster and ten-time Deathmatch Champion back in the Simulator on board the Great Fox. Slippy's eyes widened as he felt tears roll down his face with grief and denial, letting go of the boltpistol, which cluttered down the steps and landed at Jacques' feet. Fox eyes softened at seeing him like this, while Falco mentally sighed with relief.

Slippy's voice cut through the silence, "God, Jacques…"

Fox released him, allowing him to stand before Jacques and look up at the big armoured man. Still tearful, Slippy felt rage as he clinched his fists and roll his eyes over at the Terminator and Kasrkrin troopers, making the former step back some, weapons still trained on him.

"What did those Imperial freaks do to you?" Slippy gritted his teeth as he indicated the other humans nearby.

Jacques relaxed his muscles as he responded calmly, "I will gladly tell you once we get off this spacecraft."

_And make it quick, _Nero cried over the vox, _Or I'll have those bombers send your current position to obliv…_

The Terminator, annoyed at hearing Nero, turned his vox off, which Falco immediately sighed with relief and said to him, "Now I'll realy have to thank you for that."

Fox suddenly remembered something important. He turned to Jacques and exclaimed, "Krystal! Is she completely safe?"

Jacques smiled and tapped his nose, "You heard her voice over your coms, did you not? You answered your own question."

Fox nodded and bent down to retrieve his boltpistol, still armed with his chainaxe, which he clutched defensively, "We better regroup back at the hangar."

All heads nodded in agreement as they begun to retrace their steps towards the hangar, along the way Jacques' vox beeped and he answered it, the caller none other than Governor-Militant Alexander.

_Jacques Mortensen, what is your status?_

Jacques calmly answered, "We have secured Toad, and the Ultramarines have nearly concluded their business here as well. We are on our way back towards the cruiser's hangar."

Fox decided to cut in, "Is it still secured by your men, Alexander?"

_Still detecting friendly life-signs, McCloud. And I think you've cleared out the entire ship of every Chaos combatant._

Fox grinned slightly as they ran, those warm, familiar feelings of being congratulated after a job well done once again being known to him, "That's good to…"

His smile faded and felt his tongue hold in place as his eyes scanned the floor with the bodies of the dead Cornerian cultists scattered about, their cultist dress or Cornerian army uniforms stained with their own blood. Realisation dawned on him as couldn't remember the last time, or any time, he killed so many Cornerians, let alone Cornerians and other Lylatian-born tainted and warped by the Ruinious Powers of Chaos.

Jacques looked over at Fox and realise agony was present on his face, before the vulpine stopped in his tracks, causing his companions – the falcon and the humans – to stop as well and turn towards him.

"Fox?" Falco questioned, "What's up with you?"

Fox looked down at his feet, noticing he was standing in a pool of blood spreading from the blown out stomach of a canine. He then looked slowly up at Falco and said softly, "Notice anything wrong with this picture?"

Falco frowned and grabbed Fox by the shoulder, "Everything! Now come on…"

----------

Krystal's mind tormented her with the sounds of women screaming, babies crying and men yelling as she forced herself to step back into the blood-splattered corridors outside the infirmary. She had all but recovered from her battle inside her mind (not to mention the shock of seeing another Cerinian, despite him being an illusion projected by Jacques). Katt was at hand behind her, ready to come to her aid if she needed it, but could see that she was quite capable of standing on her own two feet…

"By my childhood memories of Cerinia…'

…which felt like giving way with grief when she realised many of these Cornerians had died by her own two hands. Despite them being under Chaotic influence and were a danger to all life so long as they were corrupted, Krystal couldn't help but feel guilty about killing these people. She knew well that some, or perhaps most, would have been unwilling to succumb to Chaos if it hadn't destroyed their minds and corrupted their souls.

Krystal clinched her fists as she stepped forward, head lowered but eyes closed tightly. She flinched a bit when she felt Katt's slightly comforting paw on her shoulder, and was holding her distended staff for her.

'It was not meant to be like this,' Krystal thought, forcing herself to not tear up, 'Chaos isn't suppose to exist here in Lylat, of all places.'

She forced her eyes open when she felt something grab her leg. She didn't jump with fright or cry out with surprise; she just looked down to find a mortally wounded alsatian Cornerian cultist dressed in military uniform looking up at her with pain-filled, normal-looking canine eyes. Katt reached for her sidearm blaster, but Krystal stopped her.

"Hey!" Katt cried.

Krystal gave her a pained, sympathetic look. The feline couldn't help but feel disgusted, until she looked down at her feet and found the Chaotic influence gone from the cultist's eyes, and his sanity now returned to him. But alas would have no use for it now that it would be that any second he would take his last breath. Krystal saw this and got down on one knee, causing the cultist to let go of her leg and stretch his hand towards her. Krystal grasped it tightly, trying to comfort the dying soldier.

The cultist/Cornerian soldier felt tears sting his eyes, immediately remembering his life and family before yesterday. Krystal couldn't help but cry with him, immediately reading his mind and seeing how he felt nothing but devastation and regret. The soldier coughed up some more blood.

"It….it hurts…" he moaned gently.

Krystal rubbed his wrist with her thumb and said softly, "It won't last long."

He then smiled painfully, "They…they got out…I know they did…"

"Who?" one of the Kasrkrin asked as they stepped out into the hallway, immediately stepping over a body.

The soldier coughed, "Nina…and Tiana…"

He then cried out in pain and bucked forward, squeezing Krystal's hand tightly and causing her to wince slightly in pain. Katt tightened her hold on her blaster.

"Le…left pocket…!" he exclaimed in agony, "Find…them…"

He then fell back down flat on his back.

"Please…"

He then drew his last breath, loosening his grip on Krystal's hand. Krystal exhaled painfully and let the hand fall back down and reflexively land on his chest. She stood back up and wiped the tears away with her thumb, just as Katt knelt down and gently rolled the soldier's body over, and checking the upper left pocket of his pants. Sure enough she found his wallet, which she subconsciously unhooked it and was immediately greeted with a photo of a female long-blonde haired grey wolf holding a little girl to herself. The little girl, who appeared to be either five to seven, clutched a brown haired to her chest. Both were smiling lovingly.

Katt then bent over and retrieved the soldier's dog-tags…

NAME: Fitzroy, Armando  
RANK: Sergeant  
SERIAL#: C-34353-U3435

ASSIGNMENT: 1st Cornerian Vanguard

Katt put the wallet in her right back-packet and saluted the corpse, "Rest in peace, Sergeant Fitzroy."

One of the Kasrkrin exhaled impatiently and gave a quick salute to the corpse, "Time to go."

"Yes," one of the Terminators said as they both returned to the hallway outside the infirmary, "We received word from our brothers, that we have both the Toad and data from the ship's data banks."

Both Krystal and Katt turned around to find the Terminators covered in Cornerian blood, the lead Terminator holding what appeared to be the corpse of a cultist in cultist garb by the back of his blood-stained fabric. The Terminator then dropped the body, flopping on the floor with it's face in the growing river of blood at all their feet.

Krystal closed her eyes tightly, her tears having stopped their flow, but still she heard the voices in her fragile mind, and sensed that the blood stained on the soles of her heeled shoes would never come off right away.

'Fox, Jacques,' she thought distressfully, 'Where are you?'

----------

General Sturnn and Commissar Plymouth marched towards the hangar under escort by their naval officer escorts, having left Armiel and the remainder of his squad back in the control room. Now that there mission on board the space station was complete, they were bound to be needed back on board the Pacifier when they finally receive the traitors courtesy of the kemonos…after some quick negotiating of course.

"What of our xeno prisoners, General?" Plymouth inquired.

Sturnn looked over his shoulder and replied nonchalantly "Two words Commissar: _Bargaining _and _Counter._

They stepped into the hangar and found that it was barely scratched by las and bolter fire, the Guardsman present able to hold off the Night Lord Traitor Marines with minimal loss of life – both Imperial and kemono civilian. Those Guardsmen who had lost their lives had their bodies zipped up in body bags and shuffled back into the dropships while kemono just laid on the ground with their blood seeping from their bolter riddled corpses; their friends mourning over them. Plymouth counted six dead scientists, four dead Guardsmen and three dead Chaos Marines – their armour having being penetrated by a barrage of laser fire.

Amanda's head immediately jerked up when she noticed the two Imperial officers return. She stood up, immediately having several lasguns trained on her. Sturnn noticed this and surprisingly waved them down.

"What did you do with Beltino?" the pink frog demanded, her raised voice more than enough to draw his glare.

"He's fine," Sturnn replied, "And so are you as long as he's useful."

She noticed that they were stepping towards one of the dropships, and toward a waiting officer clad in flak and wearing a helmet and armed with a power sword and laspistol.

"Major?"

"Sir?"

"You're in charge here," Sturnn informed him, "We need to return back to the fleet. Hold this station until we decide what to do with these aliens."

"Yes sir."

"HEY!"

All eyes turned to one of the younger, braver scientists, a raccoon in a lab coat, which stared to also stand up.

"What's gonna happen to us then?"

Plymouth raised his laspistol at the raccoon and pulled the trigger, firing a straight laser shot which pierced a hole through Lylatian's left ear. Some of the other scientists once again cried out, while others cringed in pain. The raccoon still stood there, a look of shock (not pain) on his face. Plymouth smiled, almost sadistically, and lowered his laspistol.

"What we decide to do with you!" Plymouth suddenly exclaimed, sounding infuriated as he once again adopted the stereotypical demeanour of the Imperial Commissar, "Not sit back down or next time I will not miss!"

----------

Fox and co. took to walking the last feet metres towards the hangar, having to practically wade through mountains of corpses, all of which were Cornerian dog cultists and many of which still had twisted, maniacal looks of pleasure of their faces. While some had tragic looks of pain and suffering as they each had retuned to sanity and reason mere seconds before their deaths. Fox wiped his nose with the tip of his boltpistol, and for a second pondered on keeping it there, aiming at his head.

"I know what you're thinking, Fox," Falco muttered out loud, not turning his head towards him but kept on walking forward, "And this is going to sound cheesy as all hell."

Fox lowered his boltpistol, "Humour me."

"It was either them or us," one of the Karskrin answered for Falco, "If we didn't kill them, they would have…"

Falco glared over at the commando and responded bluntly, "Couldn't have put it any bitterer."

"You mean 'better.'"

"Nope, b**i**tter**er**," Falco responded, amused by the human's anglo accent, "It's got an I in it, heh."

Fox sighed and closed his eyes tightly, not wanting to get involved with the avian and that human's bickering. Jacques looked over at him, concern evident in his eyes. His psychic sense went out of control when he detected something enter his mind. He didn't recognise it as Chaos, but something very familiar, and whom he swore he never got acquainted with.

"Grey?" he questioned.

Fox opened his eye at hearing Jacques say that, and immediately found that his vision had suddenly became sepia-like, as if watching an old – or very poor quality – film. Fox felt his heartbeat quicken as his pupils diluted as he heard what appeared to be wind mixed with the sounds of men screaming in the background attacking his eardrums.

He looked around and found that the bodies on the ground were still; but Falco, Jacques and the other humans had disappeared. He looked around frantically and found someone crouched over the body of one of the cultist dressed in Chaos garb, his hand on his forehead and shaking his head sadly. Fox would have dropped his weapons if he still held them, both his hands shaking uncontrollably with fright.

"Bill?"

The husky took his helmet off and looked up at him tiredly.

"Hey Fox," Bill tried to say cheerful, "Good job with living up to the Imperial Creed of taking lives. Didn't think you had it in you."

Fox shook his had frantically, "N…no."

Bill smiled, "I tried to tell you all that they were coming. Didn't you see me in huddling in the corner of my little four by four cushioned cell back at the hell they called a hospital and screaming my lungs out, at the same time crapping in my boxers? The daemon told me everything, and tormented me those three months; obviously still loyal to the Dark Gods unlike that other daemon you vaporised back at Cython."

Fox gritted his teeth, "Why are you doing this?"

"What I am doing what?"

"This?!" Fox exclaimed, "Talking to me? Appearing before me like a ghost? Freaking the living daylights out of me? You should be dead?"

"I am dead," Bill responded, standing up and adjusting his pants, "But somehow I'm still talking to you."

Now Fox was getting more frantic, "How?"

"I told you, I'm still looking into that. I'll let you know if I get an angle."

"But _**why**_ are you talking to me?"

Bill frowned and stepped up to Fox, grabbing him by the scruff of his suit and pulling him forward towards him. He said harshly, "Cause' you know just as well as I and everyone else that if you don't stop the freaks where they stand the killing will just continue. And not just by that rotting tin can with the top-knot, but by your own blaster."

_A/N: I'll be retconning Abaddon the Despoiler's appearance. So he __**does**__ have a topknot…_

Now Fox was panicked, "But…"

"But what?"

"I'm just…one vulpine."

Bill glared and let go of him, "There's those other guys you hang around. Falco, Peppy, Slippy, that Space Marine and even your blue girlfriend."

Now Fox's voice was raised, "And they probably depend on me to get them out of this just like those other times."

"Why not? You took care of the Orks, Oikonny and possibly the Blood God last year?"

"Orks?" the vulpine queried, "That was just luck. But Oikonny and Chaos – Jacques and the Ultramarines took care of that fucker and the Blood God got his face smeared into the dirt as well."

"But now Khorne is back, and he's not alone this time," Bill sighed, "Nurgle, Slaanesh and Tzeentch. They're on the offensive."

Fox rubbed both his eyes and chuckled mirthlessly, "What do you want me from me, Bill? What will it take for you to stop appearing before me like this? You're tearing my reality to shreds, you know."

Bill crossed his arms and exhaled painfully, "We both know Chaos has being operating in Lylat for a long time. The question is: How long?"

"How long?" Fox queried.

"I don't know either," Bill said, "And neither does any other Lylatian and even Mortensen. Only the Chaos cults and possibly the Imperium has the answer for sure."

Fox shook his head slowly, "And they're not going to just tell us, right?"

"No," Bill responded, "Chaos'll too be shooting at you while the Imperium will be too busy either cursing your name under their breath or praying for lightning to fall on you."

"So I…we…will have to find out for ourselves," Fox reasoned, "But where do we begin?"

Bill smiled wily, "How about the source of all of Lylat's evil up to last year, Fox?"

Fox's eyes widened, "You don't mean…"

The husky nodded, "Once we find out how deep the Ruinous Powers go, we just might on the road to wiping it out for good…and I mean for good!"

He paused for a second, looking down at the ground at his feet, before looking up at Fox.

"And I'll be there every step of the way."

Fox's eyes widened, "Huh? But…"

Suddenly Bill faded away before him and Fox's vision returned to normal, but finding himself still standing amidst all the bodies and now with his comrades; he could see Slippy and Falco looking at him oddly, while the humans at their weapons trained on him. Jacques was still watching him closely, having sensed Bill's presence before him.

Falco, however, now glared at the Terminator and emphasised with malice, "You can put those down now, Fox has returned to the land of the living."

One of the Kasrkrin tapped his helmet and exclaimed, "By the Emperor, vulpine! Give us a little warning before you go on one of your little mind trips! You held us up a good thirty seconds."

"And now we'll keep moving," Fox cried, "Now I'm more than happy to off this ship."

Confused stares went all around, but they couldn't argue with that. So they kept on moving.

----------

Kneeling deep within his misty personal chambers and accompanied by his blue robe-clad neophytes, the Chief Librarian Tigerius' head shuddered under the confines of his psychic hood, having felt Bill's presence as well. A psyker neophyte looked his way…

"Brother Chief Librarian," the neophyte started, "What troubles you?"

Tigerius opened his eyes and responded, "Nothing more than usual, apprentice. I can sense more than Chaos in this system."

"Would that prove beneficial towards the chapter?" another neophyte asked, "Or would it side with the Ruinous Powers against us?"

"That is yet to be seen," Tigerius admitted as he stood up on his feet, still gripping his force staff, "But so far, it has proven friendly towards the vulpine."

Another neophyte stepped into the chamber, stood to attention and addressed out loud, "Brother Chief Librarian, we have received word that the Cornerian cruiser has been cleansed of all Chaotic lifeforms. We have extracted the data it's computers hold and will bring it back here."

Tigerius nodded and smiled, "We may need to turn it over to Star Fox if we are to understand what we have spliced. Transmit that they must turn their cognicator over to McCloud as soon as they rendezvous."

"By your command, Chief Librarian," the neophyte nodded and left the chambers.

----------

Techmarine Sachiel clutched the PDA-like cognicator in one of his mechanical service arms as he and his team made their way away from the bridge and towards the hangar. They took the closest, fastest route past all the bodies having piled up on top of one another as a result of the massive fighting between them and the Ultramarines. When it came to furry, warp-maddened cultists against power-armoured super soldiers, there was basically no contest, yet Sachiel felt incredibly bitter.

'Here I hope we do no end up killing every kemono in the system. There will not be any left by the time the Inquisition decides to subjugate Lylat,' he thought, 'If the Lord Macragge's words are true, we need every willing furry man and woman who can hold a weapon we can get.'

He stepped over one moaning, downed cultist; whom immediately tasted bolter and was finished off. The blood spurted upwards into Sachiel's helm, prompting him to wipe it away from his eye ports. He and his team continued on their way, encountering no more resistance. They soon reached the hangar and found many of the Eden Kasrkrin still standing around amongst piles of burnt scrap metal formally security combots.

"Where is Star Fox?" Sachiel asked, "We have data from this ship's computers, which can be only be read using Cornerian tech."

One of the Kasrkrin sergeants stepped forward and responded, lowering his hellpistol and sword, "I just got of the com, their one their way back…"

Fox, Jacques, Falco, Slippy and their squad then stepped into the hangar through one of the other doors, prompting the Kasrkrin to coninue…

"…and hear they are now."

Fox bent over forward with his hands on his knees and exhaled painfully, still shaken by his psychedelic episode involving Bill. Falco wiped the sweat from his forehead feathers and collapsed on his butt on the floor while Jacques moved his head around, feeling the bones creak in his neck as he temporary relieved himself of discomfort over swinging his Nemesis Force sword and destroying the enemy with his mind. Sachiel glanced over at his Battle-Brothers before stepping over towards them. The Eden Kasrkrin present stepped out of his way as he approached the Grey Knight and his kemono companions. Fox straightened his back and was immediately drawn towards the Techmarine and the many servi-arms built into his back.

"Can…I help you, Space Marine?" Fox greeted with fake enthusiasm.

'Cute,' Sachiel grumbled in his mind, before he responded, "We have the data spliced from the main computer of this vessel into this here cognicator. The Lord Macragge would appreciate if you analysis and translate this data for us."

Fox appeared hesistant, "Er…"

Fox reached forward and accepted the cognicator, examining it closely. Since he hadn't the slightest idea how to use such human-made tech, he tossed it over towards Slippy; reasoning that he would have a better understanding of how these things could work. The frog grabbed it with both hands and was immediately drawn towards the human made PDA.

"I am sure you and the scientists at the Beltino Space Station may find this information useful," Sachiel said, "It would be much easier in extracting it by wiring the brain up to soulless machine-person."

Slippy crossed his arms frowned straight at the Techmarine, before speaking rather menacingly; which sounded rather comical with his somewhat squeaky tone of voice, "You mean ROB, right?"

"Right."

Slippy gulped gently, the mechanical-like tone of voice from the Techmarine making him more nervous. He turned to Fox and had to ask, "Can we please go now."

Fox shook his head and replied, nearly frantic, "Not until Krystal and Katt gets back here."

Falco suddenly remembered the pink feline and stood back up abruptly, "Shit! I forgot about her!"

_I hope you haven't featherbrain! _Katt scowled over the com, causing Falco to cringe, _Or I'll tear off what makes peacetime worthwhile from you._

Immediately some of the Kasrkrin grimaced as they pictured what they meant, some moving a hand over their crutches in discomfort. Fox however was relieved to hear her voice, assuming that Krystal was still with her and well. Soon enough the last door leading out of the hangar opened and out stepped Krystal, Katt, the two Kasrkrin and Terminators. Fox and Jacques spun around to greet them; a happy grin on Fox's face while Jacques simply smiled lightly, relieved.

Krystal smiled widely and walked quickly over towards the both of them and slowly spread her arms out wide, where it would appear she would embrace only Fox, whom in return half-expected her to jump into his arms and kiss him for everything he's worth. But instead she embraced the both of them tightly, with her left arm around Fox's neck and the other around Jacque' waist.

"Krystal?" both males exclaimed in surprise, before looking over at each other, wondrous.

"I'm…I'm glad the both of you are here," Krystal said softly, her smile fading for a second, before looking up at Jacques' face cheerful.

She raised her hand to stroke his face gently. This felt soothing to the Space Marine, which immediately quelled him of any physical, mental and spiritual pain he may have felt earlier. This was much to the glee of Slippy, sly of Falco and the consternated leers of the Ultramarine Terminators present. However, if one saw Sachiel's face through his helm he wouldn't have looked all that surprised.

"Thank for you saving me again," Krystal addressed to Jacques.

She then turned to Fox and kissed his lips warmly…

"And thank you for you're concern."

Fox blushed, and noticed out the corner of his left eye Katt strutting over towards Falco with a slow smile playing on his her face. Falco appeared to look nervous as she approached and was quick to ask the obvious question…

"Er…you didn't mean that, right?"

Katt smirked even wider and petted his beak, "You'd be pretty much useless, then."

Falco narrowed his eyes and looked away as if he was pouting, "Hmph…cheers."

He felt her hand on his cheek, which directed his face toward hers, where his lips were captured by hers in a kiss; uncaring of the many stares they received, especially by a redfaced Slippy who was trying not to have a nosebleed because so much intimacy in the air. A few of the Kasrkrin had noticed Falco's expression and their feeling were mixed at best.

"Ew…jammy bastards," one of them said to another, "Those two furries."

What Jacques blurted out next drew everyone's gaze, which pulled Fox/Krystal and Falco/Katt from their intimate poses, "We are now pulling out from this wretched hulk. Me and Fox will now make contact with the Imperial fleet to establish negotiations for a truce, and possible alliance against the enemy."

He looked down at Slippy.

"You will be placed with Karskrin squad 2 and sent back to our own fleet. You will be well taken cared of"

Slippy gasped, "But…but what my dad, Amanda, and all other guys back at the station."

"I will see that they will join you shortly."

Falco then glared and then referred to himself, Katt and Krystal, "And what about us?"

"You will regroup back at the Eden fleet. I believe that…"

He faced Fox, who stared back eagerly.

"…this situation calls for the leaders and commanders to address one another."

The members of Star Fox turned to their leader, who somehow felt like he was reeling after hearing Jacques speak his mind. He recollected himself instantly and let go of Krystal's shoulders, composing himself for what he was going to say next.

"I…I think I can handle this on my own," he smiled reassuringly, "I'll make sure those Imperial jerks see our point of view."

Falco smirked, "Just try not to pass out from all the anti-fur dogma they're bound to toss your way."

The vulpine shot him a mean leer, "Definitely."

Suddenly one of the Kasrkrin sergeants approached Jacques and saluted, "Commander, we have just received word from the Imperial fleet and General Sturnn."

Jacques appeared interested, "What does he say, sergeant?"

"They wish to discuss 'business' with you…"

----------

Aun'shi knelt in the centre of his chambers with his honour-blade in both his hand, the lower blade touching the floor, deep in meditation as he tried to clear his mind and assess the situation that Commander Farsight had dragged him and his expedition into. He thought of hundreds of different solutions to their problem, most involving ditching the human fleet, skipping Lylat and beginning the long journey back to the homeworld T'au in their home galaxy.

Ashamed at thinking cowardly, abandoning Lylat to it's doom and his overall thinking that conflicts with the Greater Good, he shook his head and exhaled roughly.

_Ethereal, _Aun'shi desk-side video communicator rang, revealing the face of a Tau Air Caste communication officer, _We are receiving a transmission from Jacques Mortensen._

Aun'shi stood up and turned around to face the screen, "Patch him through, please."

The Air Caste officer nodded and the screen when black, which Aun'shi assumed because Jacques was communicating through a vox caster which didn't produce images, but only voice. He stepped towards the desk and sat down just as Jacques begun to speak…

Ethereal Aun'shi, it may interest you to know that Slippy has been rescued and the Night Lord Chaos Space Marines have been defeated.

"We know that for a fact, Grey Knight," Aun'shi responded, "For we have dispatched our own share of hostile Space Marines, and managed to avoid the ship's destruction through one of their warp-drive explosive devices. Yet, I still must worry…"

Of course you would, because of the Imperial presence here. I have thought ahead and I think it best we attempt to broker an alliance with them in order to effectively wage war against the Forces of Chaos that will soon be entrenched on the many worlds of the Lylat….that is if you do not plan to return to T'au.

Aun'shi listened to Jacques closely, nodding accordingly and agreeing with everything the Grey Knight said. How could he have known beforehand what opportunities the Imperial forces in Lylat could put forward if they were to once again, in an alliance of convenience, fight alongside one another.

"A temporary truce could prove beneficial for the Tau Empire," Aun'shi said, "If we could demonstrate we are superior, or at least as equal, as gue'la in fighting the mont'au of Chaos, perhaps they would reconsider their genocidal future goals towards us. Perhaps they would see first hand what the Greater Good could do for humanity."

Jacques' tone of voice suddenly became sullen, _I doubt this would do little to change their attitude towards non-humans and their allies, but we can save billions of lives – Lylatian, human, Tau and many other races – from the Despoiler if we stop them from leaving Lylat; with the Imperium at our side._

Aun'shi rubbed his chin in thought.

_I believe we will need all the help we can get._

Aun'shi nodded again, "I feel compelled to agree with you. I will meet this General Sturnn myself and negotiate the alliance between the Imperials, the Tau and…"

He then sighed, surprising Jacques on the other end.

"…the Farsight Enclaves."

Jacques sounded slightly happy as he continued, _The General has announced that we will come to no harm, and I plan to make sure he keeps his word. Mortensen signing off._

The Grey Knight's image faded from the video screen. Aun'shi left his desk and made his way to the doors of his chamber. He stepped out and the guard's nearby stood to attention. He turned towards the Fire Warrior on the left.

"Shas'la, I require an escort."

The Fire Warrior nodded, "This Shas'la is at your service, Ethereal."

As Aun'shi continued, that particular Fire Warrior followed by his side. As he approached the control room, O'Shovah, Jakob and a cohort of Enclave Fire Warriors greeted him. Aun'shi frowned visibly at the renegade commander, who was now out of his armour, and made sure it was directed towards him and not the gue'la standing beside him.

"The Infinity is once again in our hands," O'Shovah declared with a smile, "And my warriors stand ready to assist Star Fox in reclaiming their stolen comrade."

"The battle ended by ten minutes ago, Shas'O," Aun'shi said, "Your presence would not have been needed anyway."

O'Shovah's smile faded, "That is a shame. Now, what of our Lylatian and gue'la allies? And of the Imperials?"

"Star Fox and the gue'la from Eden and Kronus are willing to negotiate with the Imperials over our engagements with Chaos. I thought it best if I was there on behalf of T'au."

"That is most wise, Ethereal," O'Shovah agreed, once again looking smug

The Ethereal studied the amused commander, looking sceptical. He knew he had to be cautious around the seemingly unpredictable Commander Farsight, and his behaviour as of late was fast making him very concerned about the welfare of himself and his expedition. This had brought them all billions of light years away from any Tau sept worlds to the farthest reaches of the universe in their search for O'Shovah, which had taken them years. Now that they had completed their mission in finding him, all they had to do now was bring him back to Tau so that he could explain himself to the high Ethereal Council, and Aun'va himself.

But while they were here in Lylat, that was not going to be easy. He glanced over at La'Jakob…

"Gue'vesa'Shas'la!"

"Ethereal," Jakob responded.

"I require an escort to the Imperial flagship Pacifier," Aun'shi explained.

Jakob, his devotion to the Ethereal all but evident, nodded without a second thought, "Of course."

He then immediately returned to reason and realised what Aun'shi had asked of him. He felt his heart beat faster with anxiety at the thought of meeting more humans, and that they would not be the seemingly tolerant Guardsman and the Space Marine he acquainted with earlier; but the xenophobic, borderline…no, scratch that…completely zealots of the Imperium of Man. No adequate words could describe Jakob's contempt for mankind not guided by the principles and philosophies of the Greater Good.

"Is there something wrong?"

Jakob shook his head, "Nothing…nothing's wrong, Ethereal."

O'Shovah observed the interaction between Jakob and Aun'shi, and somehow expected to become accustomed to it, seeing as how this human has managed to garner friendship and respect from anyone and everyone he meets. That included himself, Aun'shi and even the Cerinian known as Krystal, where he sensed that trust was beginning to form between them following their battle back on Titania. But when it came to other humans and could not control his inner feelings towards them, which in turn was evident when Jacques Mortensen attempted to be friendly with him and was immediately shrugged off.

'Interesting,' O'Shovah thought, intrigued, 'I wonder why he holds so much contempt for his Imperial cousins? Where did it actually originate?'

----------

The Arwings and the Shark transports left the hangar of the Cornerian cruiser, where immediately one Arwing and one Shark broke off and headed towards the Imperial fleet, while the others continued towards the Eden fleet. Krystal looked to the left side of the cockpit to see Fox and Jacques leave in a different direction. Worry was evident on her face as she then looked forward and concentrated on piloting her Arwing.

"Fox? Jacques?" she begun, "Be careful, you two."

_Always, Krystal, _Fox responded cooly, _We'll bug out the moment they turn lippy towards us._

"Is that a promise?"

_Of course, _came Jacques' reply.

Krystal sighed and smiled gently, hearing the two men confirming their safety. In her Arwing Katt had overheard the communication line and smiled awkwardly, hearing Krystal speak to the both of them with much warmness.

'You lucky vixen,' she thought slyly, 'You got two guys looking out for your hide and would sooner throw themselves in front of a Imperial war engine than see you shed a tear. I swear you…have some sort of strange effect on the guys.'

Unfortunately for her Jacques, whom was busy resting and recuperating his overworked mind, senses and spiritual connection to the Warp, just happened to overhear her thoughts and immediately frowned at that suggestion. There was more to Krystal than her mere presence that can sway his attention; it was her strength of character and her desire to protect life and those she cares for that made drew him to her and to reject all prejudices over her being a xeno. And in that, he saw within her a kindred spirit.

_Jacques Mortensen?  
_

Jacques left his thoughts and responded into the vox built into passenger seat of the Shark dropship's cockpit, _Governor Alexander?_

_I'm on my way to join you and the fox, _Alexander said, then added, _I suggest you let me do all the talking._

"I will note that," Jacques responded, "And be sure to have transports ready to evacuate all personnel and salvage as much technology as possible from the Beltino station."

_We will bel joining you as well, _Aun'shi added, _Two of my Fire Warriors will accompany me._

"What of Commander Farsight?"

_He would prefer spend his time sitting in his suit and whittle his fingers in amusement, _Aun'shi retorted rather harshly.

Jacques rubbed his forehead, unamused, 'How like the Tau Commander_.'_

A Tau Orca dropship and another Imperial transport joined up with the ships approaching the Imperial fleet. Immediately those on board couldn't help but wonder if they would live to see the next day, realising that one word or body gesture out of line could spell doom for them all. Even Jacques wondered if they were able to pull this off.

_Eden and Tau transports, _an unknown vox line came across the ship's communication systems, _Direct yourselves ships to the battleship designated 'Pacifier' and await escort._

Jacques exhaled gently, then hearing Fox say, _You alright Jacques?"_

"As I will ever be," Jacques replied.

The Arwing and the three transports approached the Imperial fleet, Imperial fighters still controlling the space around the Beltino Space Station. They flew towards the lead starship designated as the Pacifier, which Fox immediately guessed was the flagship. Fox was astounded by the sheer look and size of the Emperor-class human starship, seeing it up close inscribed with various defensive guns and torpedo launchers as well as marking inscribed in High Gothic.

'Shit,' he thought, not realising they these were almost no different than the Eden fleet, 'The Imperium are complete barons of industry to produce ships of these staggering quality.'

They flew into the hangar of the Pacifier, passing through the protective field and out of space. Fox looked out the canopy of his Arwing to see the hangar of the Pacifier in action, with Guardsmen taking position, weapons slung over their shoulders and cybernetic half-human servitors under the watchful eye of Techpriests at work maintaining machinery. Fox looked curiously at a group of six well-dressed soldiers armed with lasguns approaching the area where he and the other ships would land. These troops were dressed in the same greatcoats as Commissars, but now had ranking chevrons on their shoulders.

Don't let those Commissariat Cadets spook you, McCloud, _came Alexander's voice over the Arwing's communicator, For all the romantic myths surrounding them, they're just normal human beings who had their emotions beaten out of them more then usual back at the Schola Progenium_.

"I'll keep that in mind, Governor."

The Arwing, the Sharks and the Orca dropshop touched down inside the hangar, the Arwing situated between the two larger transport ships. Fox was the first to leap out, immediately being greeted by a dozen lasguns aimed at his heart. He held his hands up in protest…

"Hey! Hey Hey!"

An flak-armored Cadian officer wearing a cap and armed with a boltpistol, which was sitting in his left hand, addressed the vulpine with hostility, "Relief yourself of your weapons, xeno."

Fox appeared offended, but did as he was told. He muttered under his breath…

"I salute you too."

…and pulled out his blaster and dropped it on the floor at the feet of the officer, followed by his boltpistol and finally his chainsaxe, the latter which landed on the officer's foot hard and sliced some of the boot. The officer shrieked and jumped back in fright, causing one Guardsman to thrust the barrel of his lasgun in his face.

"Try that stunt again and you'll…"

They all then heard a throat clear and the Guardsman spun around to see the Commissariat cadet standing by. The Guardsmen immediately stood aside and allowed the cadet to step before Fox, past the officer. The cadet smiled.

"You've got balls to stand before a officer of the Imperium and repay his…hospitality."

"Could've gone smoother if you're familiar with the term 'courtesy.'"

The Guardsmen all lowered their guns as the Commissariat cadet laughed, "Ha! Believe me, xeno. We are extending Imperial courtesy to you. We haven't killed you yet."

The other Guardsmen all laughed as well, except the officer whose foot Fox dropped his chainaxe. Fox chuckled nervously, "Okay, I'll give you that."

Fox noticed how the Guardsmen of the Cadian 412th Shock Troopers were dressed differently then the Kronus 1st. They wore light gray flak armor over brown and green colored camouflage BDUs, and their lasguns had the golden Imperial winged-skull aquila on them. On their left shoulder plating was their regimental number: 412th.

Jacques and Alexander were the step onto the hangar floor from their respective shuttles, immediately greeted by two Commissariat cadets. Some of the personnel present looked in awe at the two men, but especially the Grey Knight. But most, including the officer to greet them, stared bloody murder at them. Jacques focused on the officer, whom he saw was equipped with a powerfist secured over his left hand.

"Lieutenant," Alexander greeted with smirk.

The lieutenant hissed, "Spare me your courtesy, Governor-Militant. The Cadian 412th doesn't tolerate the presence of traitors. I'm merely waiting for the General to give the order to put a bolt through your skull."

Alexander queered his eyebrows and asked, "I wouldn't hold you breath, lieutenant?"

"Until that time, lieutenant," Jacques spoke, "You would bring us before your commanding officer and we can begin negotiations."

The lieutenant then looked over at the Ethereal Aun'shi and his two escorts, La'Jakob and a fellow Fire Warrior, the former wearing a helm, which complimented his trenchcoat over his Fire Warrior armor. The lieutenant looked even more disgusted at the sight of the blue-skin alien elder. He and two Techpriest stepped before them.

"Turn over your weapons," he ordered, as if expecting something would go wrong, "And let's keep this as civil as possible."

"If that is part of your terms, then so be it," Aun'shi responded.

He turned to his escorts and gave them a reassuringly nod. They quickly turned in their pulse rifles, which were intercepted by Techpriests and dumped into a nearby metallic containment bin.

"Oh great Deus Mechanicus and your eternal servant, the Omnissiah, forgive us for handling foul alien tool of destruction," one of the priests cited out loudly.

"Oh wait…"

The Techpriests turned to face La'Jakob, who thrust his hands into the pockets of his coat and pulled out his submachine-guns. He handed them over to the priests, who took them and quickly deposited them into the bin.

"I will get those back, right?" Jakob asked.

The priest handling the bin looked over at him, "If the Machine God wills it."

Fox smiled lightly, and just when he was about to believe that things were finally going smoothly, the lieutenant grabbed Jakob's hand…

"Hey!"

…and studied it. His eyes widened explicitly when he realized that his hand had four fingers and one thumb, as opposed to the Tau having only three fingers and one thumb. He also saw that unlike the Tau with their hooved feet, he was wearing Cadian-made boots. He reached for his laspistol and pointed it at Jakob's head.

"TRAITOR! HERETIC! A DEFECT TO THE XENOS!" the officer screamed out loud.

Jakob could be heard to snort in disgust, before pulling his helmet off to reveal his human face. Jakob frowned at the officer as he aimed his boltpistol to his head. The officer was now completely livid, actually standing before a human having allied himself with the Tau. Fox gritted his teeth and clinched his fists tightly.

"I am bewildered to see a fellow human as well, cousin," Jakob retorted with dry humor, "The last time I saw a human in Imperial flak years ago he tried to burn my village down and butcher my neighbors."

The lieutenant removed his cap with his left free hand, revealing his shaved head, and poked Jakob's head with his boltpistol, which was slightly large than his own hand. He noticing Aun'shi looking at him with pity. The officer said, "I can tolerate a furry-loving Space Marine, a traitor general, an overevolved fox…hell even self-righteous blueskins."

He gripped the handle of his laspistol harder as he smiled menacingly.

"But a human bowing down to the heathen xeno…by God-Emperor, there is so much a man like me can take."

Fox rolled his eyes and sighed, aggravated because of humanity's impulsive xenophobia, 'Dear God, not this again.'

Jacques narrowed his eyes, 'I believe I will have to step in. Death shall surely stench the air unless someone with intelligence does something.'

The soundwaves increased tenfold when the familiar electrical screech of a laspistol was heard, but it wasn't from the lieutenant. Fox looked up at the balcony overlooking the hangar and saw a man with a slight belly dressed in military uniform with his medals and decorations pinned to it and who wore his scarlet overcoat over his shoulders. He held his laspistol above his head, where he fired again to make sure he got everyone's present attention.

Once the Commissar was in eyesight, Alexander appeared surprised, "Gabbet?"

Plymouth noticed Alexander below, immediately recognizing the 'Traitor General', though not may it be through military intelligence or rumors, rather having seen him in the flesh at one time. He saw that the Guardsmen below were obstructing the xenos and xeno sympathizers, and decided that cursing their names can be saved for another time.

"Lieutenant!" he exclaimed out loud, "Do not let the non-humans be later then they already are for the negotiations."

The lieutenant looked up and saluted, just as the Commissar disappeared back out of sight, "Right away, Commissar Plymouth."

The officer and the Guardsmen present stepped aside and allowed Fox, Jacques and company; under escort by Commissariat Guardsmen cadets, to proceed through the hangar and through the ship towards the flagship's main conference hall. Along the way, Fox and Jakob took in the completely gothic atmosphere of the Emperor-class battleship, which looked even more overwhelming then the Children of Eden's fleet craft. Jakob appeared visibly disgusted, almost not telling if he was walking through a starship hallway or a church of the so-called God-Emperor.

Alexander turned and whispered to Jacques , "I saw him."

Jacques nodded, "**Regimental Commissar Anton Gebbet**."

"What in God-Emperor's name is he doing here?" the Governor-Militant questioned with contempt.

The interior of conference hall on the Pacifier almost resembled that of a chapel, complete with stain-glass windows, shiny marble floors and, if one squinted hard enough, could see that the large flat table and ten available chairs were carved from the finest quality wood. Statues of Imperial Generals and Space Marines were situated into the walls, and inscriptions written in High Gothic were scatted all over the walls. The officers present sat around the table, leaving only three four spare seats. Nero sat at the main chair while General Sturnn and the returned Commissar Plymouth stood, the former pacing around the table with his hands behind his back.

A anxious looking priest clad in brown robes, with both his eyes replaced with implants, stood in the corner of the room and silently reciting in the Imperial language High Gothic from a leather-bound book reminiscent of the ancient and long-forgotten bible. A massive chainsaw-like device called an Eviscerator rested at his feet as he silently spoke to himself. Anyone in the room could make out what he was saying…

"He who allows the alien to live, shares its crime of existence."

Sturnn felt flabbergasted, where he thought, 'The Ecclesiarchy is determined to make me go on an everlasting guilt trip since Lorn V. Those damned holy men…'

Plymouth glanced over at the priest and thought, 'Here I hope the alien does not understand gothic, and is not quick to anger.'

"Lord General," one of the officers spoke up, deciding to add 'Lord' out of his respect for the man , "Since the heretics have agreed to come here, shouldn't we apprehend them once they set foot on the ship?"

Sturnn shook his head, "I gave them my honour they will come to harm, major. I will be damned if anything happens to them…at least…"

He exhaled out of his nose as he raised his head upwards.

"…until they have served their purpose. Until all of Lylat has served it's purpose."

Nero grinned behind clasped hands underneath his chin, 'Now Sturnn is thinking straight.'

The boardroom doors opened and the Coalition members entered under escort by a squad of commissariat guards. Governor-Militant Alexander and Jacques was the first to enter, with a guard right beside them; followed by Fox and Aun'shi, with two more guard following close by. Some of the officers present felt offended to see that of the two bodyguards that the Ethereal had brought along, one of them was a young human male clad in a black-coloured trench-coat over Fire Warrior armour.

Nero frowned, 'That must be the human heard over the vox.'

The other officers' (except Sturnn and Plymouth) though patterns towards Alexander, Jacques and Jakob can be interpreted as…

'Damned xeno-lovers…'

'Traitors!'

'Fucking xeno-heretics.'

And their thought towards Fox and Aun'shi were no different. In fact the priest present looked so offended and angry that it would appear he would explode. Fox found it amusing to see his reddened face, but was immediately on his guard when the robed zealot clinched his fists and pointed his finger down at them.

"IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR, I MUST PROTEST THIS HERESY!" the Priest yelled at the top of his lungs, "GENERAL STURN DARES ALLOW XENO AND TRAITORS' FOOTSTEPS DESECRATE ONE OF THE EMPEROR'S HOLY VESSELS?"

Sturnn looked up at him and responded calmly, "Normally I would agree with you, priest. But under these extreme circumstances…"

He dropped his calm demeanour for a impatient tone of voice.

"… you will not open your mouth again for the duration of these negotiations! Understand?"

The priest glared daggers at the priest, "The Ecclesiarchy, and indeed the Inquisition will know of this heresy, General."

"Hey!"

All eyes turned to see Fox, with his arms crossed and a sly smile playing on his face. Before the priest could direct a tirade of insults against him Fox opened his mouth and spoke with a hint of slyness…

"Give the General a break, holy man."

The priest glared daggers at the vulpine, before stepping back into the corner and muttered something about the absence of an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor. Sturnn smirked lightly, as he faced the people standing in the doorway, noticing General Alexander looking at Plymouth for a brief second, before turning his eyes back on Sturnn.

"You gave us your word we would come to no harm," Alexander reminded him.

"I still do," Sturnn replied, "If you would all kindly take a seat, we can begin discussing our mutual problems."

Fox, Jacques and Alexander complied, taking the seats on the other end of the table. As the commissariat guards left the room, Aun'shi and his guards still stood. Jakob tried to advert his eyes from the other humans present, focussing solely on both Fox and the Ethereal, but couldn't do anything about the glares he received from the Admiral, the Commissar and a few of the officers present.

"Tau?"

Aun'shi plain face gave no indication of emotion, "I think I will stand, gue'la."

Sturnn and Aun'shi stared down one another for a moment before he sat down, nodding his head. Fox took this time to study the room in detail: From the chapel-like décor right down to the individuals seated around him – the white-haired Imperial General, the balding Admiral, the black-haired scarred Commissar and the officers present around the table.

"Alright, first things first," Alexander spoke with affirmation and authority, before he stood from his seat and gave a salute, "General Sturnn, Cadian 412th 'The Fallen of Lorn IV.'"

Sturnn smiled and stood back up, returning the salute, "General Alexander of the Cadian 215th – now known as the Kronus 1st 'Liberators', former Governor-Militant of the planet Kronus."

Alexander then turned to Plymouth and addressed, "Commissar Anton Gebbet."

Sturnn's was startled at hearing that declaration, before turning to face the Commissar, who suppressed a smile.

"Greetings, General," Plymouth responded sharply, "It is good to be in your presence once again."

Nero appeared shocked towards both Sturnn and Plymouth for addressing the traitor General with respect, but was infuriated even more when all eyes turned to Fox. The vulpine smiled lightly and stood up from his seat, hands crossed behind his back as he spoke with confidence and much self-esteem despite being surrounded on all sides by humanity.

"I'm Fox McCloud, leader of the Star Fox team."

Aun'shi was next to speak, "I suppose I must introduce myself, as Aun'shi of Vior'la sept of the Ethereal caste, guiding lights of the Tau Empire."

Sturnn nodded, "I have heard of you over the las-lines, Ethereal; and surprised to see you so far our here from your Empire."

Aun'shi grimaced as he responded, "I have on good authority to keep me and O'Shovah's business in Lylat confidential for now."

Nero was once again alarmed, "Shovah?!! The infamous Commander FARSIGHT?!!!"

"The Farsight Enclaves' business in Lylat is none of the Emperors' concern," Sturnn said, "As long as it keeps the Imperium out of harm's way."

"I am yet to determine that," the Ethereal responded, "Me and my T'au raised expedition are merely monitoring the Enclave's activities after locating them, of all the places in the universe, here in this kemono populated quadrant."

Both Fox and Jacques glanced at one another questioningly, both of which then coincidently thought with slight apprehension, 'That would explain for now why the Tau are here at all.'

Sturnn nodded and sat back down, "Alright…"

Fox and Alexander sat back down.

"…if this session will come to order, I will now address the most obvious question."

Plymouth stood by Sturnn's side, where the General suddenly and menacingly narrowed his eyes, his hands laid out on the table suddenly clinched into fists as if getting ready to unleash his anger out on those sitting on the far end of the table. Jacques felt the muscles in his hand tighten, the same reaction before he would reach for his sword, which was conveniently back in the hangar of the Pacifier.

"What…in the name of the Immortal God-Emperor of Man is Chaos doing here in Lylat?" Sturnn demanded, before all but exclaiming, "AGAIN?"

Fox frowned, "We should be asking you. You've been fighting them longer than we have, and very soon we'll be out of the fight for good if we don't do something."

"If you propose yet another Lylat/Imperial alliance, then that is out of the question," Nero cut in, "No more of our own forces will be contaminated fighting alongside you again."

"If I may ask, Admiral," Jacques spoke calmly, "It is convenient that you have brought along a fleet and a massive Cadian battleforce to Lylat just to apprehend me and the Kronus 1st."

Nero smirked, "We believed we would have to come into conflict with the Lylat in bringing the heretics to holy justice. And apparently we were correct."

Fox felt like screaming in the human's face, telling him to go crawl back to whatever hive world that spurted him out. Instead he smiled widely, baring his teeth, "Jacques is right. It's convenient that you've possibly brought the entire Imperial Navy here as Abaddon the Despoiler himself is sitting on his hands high above Corneria while Chaos Space Marines pillage the surface below."

Nero smirk disappeared as he suddenly felt his throat clinch with fear, "The D…Despoiler?"

The officers present looked at one another, most likely each stricken with fear despite. Stunn and Plymouth managed to keep a straight face, prompting Plymouth to ask, "Tell us, vulpine. How did the Despoiler managed to find his way here in the first place?"

"If you're going to listen."

"You have humanity's attention."

"Alright. Get comfortable…"

In little over an hour and a half Fox slowly and carefully explained that has happened to Lylat when they tried to celebrate their untold number of years of survival. The Chaos Space Marines came down from the blackness of space through the Beltino Orbital Gate, raising armies of blood-crazed furry cult groups, which sat about hacking apart anything that had survived the Chaos Marines' massive planetary assault, which did not show any sort of conformity to the Dark Gods. Most of Corneria's home defence fell under their steel boots and bolters while others fled the planet, all agreeing to regroup on Venom, homeworld of their former enemies.

They had then escaped to the planet Titania, and came across the Tau Expeditionary force, which was accompanied by members of the Farsight Enclaves, including the renegade Fire Caste Commander himself. Afterwards they fought the Alpha Legion under Chaos Lord Ezekiel. And it was during that battle the remnants of planet Eden's military and the Kronus 1st – collectively known as the Children of Eden – entered the fray. Together they destroyed the Alpha Legion and killed both the Chaos Lord and his lieutenant Sorcerer Artemis.

Fox then made the most disturbing point of all: They had all heard the dark, evil voice of Abaddon the Despoiler himself, poised ready to conquer Lylat, then possibly march on the neighbouring galaxy where most of humanity resided, starting firstly with Segmentum Pacificus, and possibly billions of human lives. The Imperial officers present took all that to heart, and mostly took it pretty well, each one believing that the God-Emperor would see them through these dark times.

"Are…are you sure that was the Despoiler?" one of the officers asked fearfully, shaking gently in his seat.

Fox sighed and decided to be cynical, "Does threats of eternal damnation normally send chills up people's spines?"

Sturnn didn't look amused one bit, his grim stature keeping hold, "Always."

"May I ask how many men, Guardsmen and Astartes, did you had planned to deploy against the Children?" Jacques inquired.

Sturnn looked up at Plymouth, the Commissar responding out loud: "Since we now originally figured we would have to fight the entire Lylat System, we took the necessary precautions. We have 50,000 men divided into five battalions; in turn each one holds ten companies of a hundred men each. We're supported by five Armoured Companies consisting of Lemen Russ Battle Tanks, Demolishers, Sentinels and Armoured Personnel Carriers. Ten squadrons of VTOL aerial units support all these numbers."

"Any 'special' weapons?" Alexander asked, appearing curious, "Commissar Gebbet?"

Plymouth frowned at being called that, "As of now, that is classified."

Fox and Alexander looked impressed. Alexander then asked, "The Ultramarines?"

Suddenly a floating servi-skull emerged from a vent in the ceiling and hovered above the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. The skull then generated from it's mechanical right eye a hologram image of the seated Lord Macragge Calgar. This prompted Jacques to stand from his seat with respect, making sure his blue loincloth with the omega symbol on it is seen.

"Lord Macragge," Jacques addressed him.

Fox smirked, "I knew you weren't too far away, Calgar."

_Allow me to answer that question,_ Calgar said, eyes focused on the vulpine, _I have at my disposal half of the 1__st__ Company, which has been flanked by ten Scout Marines drawn from the 10__th__ Company_…

Jacques was startled beyond words. The fabled Ultramarines 1st Company, half of which was home to the famous veterans of the Tyranid Wars against the Imperium, was here in Lylat. Jacques assumed that the other half of the company, composed of the Tyranid Veterans; were back in Segmentum Ultima continuing their fight against the bio-hazardous insectoids. It would appear to be overkill in sending such a massive battleforce just to apprehend him and Alexander, and to destroy the Children of Eden. There has to be some ulterior motive behind it.

"Half of the 1st Company?" Alexander queried, amazed, "That's…that's convenient."

Fox nodded, "Very. Since you won't just be fighting the Children and combined forces of the Lylat military, but almost every Chaos legion in existence is here in this part of the universe. So about a fifty bolter-wielding superhumans supporting a regiment of fanatical foot soldiers should fit the bill."

Calgar frowned, _I hardly think so. The Dark Gods would surely aid the heretics by sending hordes of their daemonic servants, which would no doubt total in the millions. It would take more than power armour, our bolters, the Guardmen's will of steel, their lasguns and our combined faith…_

He sounded hesitant when he finished speaking.

…it would be strength of numbers. And it would appear there are still dozens of Lylatian regiments waiting to fight Lylat, assuming they have not already fallen on Corneria.

Fox stood up from his seat, making sure he caught his, and every Ultramarines' possibly listening in, undivided attention, "Yeah, you're right about that. But…"

He then narrowed his eyes.

"…do you really want to ally with us again. Cause' if the God-Emperor doesn't approve…"

Nero suddenly lurched forward, hands slamming down on the table, where he growled, "He would not approve of you trying our patience, xeno!"

"ADMIRAL!" Sturnn yelled at him, silencing him. He then spoke softer, "And the Emperor wouldn't approve if his Imperium fell to the Force of Chaos, Horatio Dylanis Nero. Scrutiny from the Inquisition be damned if should they catch wind of this."

Sturnn smiled and stood up, causing the Imperial officers present to become anxious as they immediately guessed what he was going to say.

"I think an alliance between the Imperium and the central Cornerian government and their Tau allies can work out, so long as they don't leave this system and make a beeline for Segmentum Pacificus."

Fox couldn't help but smile lightly, having once again scored another victory in the ongoing war to connect with humanity and to find their way through their various bigotries and superstitions. Some of the officers present were shocked completely, while the priest who had been present stormed out in a cold fury. Before Nero could protest, however, Sturnn wasn't finished.

"However. We would appreciate if we had some insurance."

Fox eyes widened. He turned to Jacques, then to Alexander and finally Aun'shi. Jakob peered over at his fellow Fire Warrior with slight apprehension, and the Fire Warrior looked his way for a brief moment as well.

"Insurance, General?" Aun'shi asked.

Jacques sighed and stood up for the last time. He looked at Sturnn straight in the eye and responded, "You can apprehend me…"

Fox spun towards him shocked.

"…once we have driven the Despoiler back into the Warp."

Alexander turned to him abruptly as well, but appearing unsurprised. Aun'shi appeared confused at the Grey Knight's offer to turn himself in; while Jakob, who didn't seem at all impressed, felt his eyes waver at bit in confusion as well. Most shocked was Fox, whose mouth was practically gaping at hearing his brother-in-arms offering to turn himself in should they actually defeat the Chaos forces in Lyat. He once again felt sick, and was glad Krystal wasn't here with them.

He glared at him, almost baring his teeth, 'Jacques…no!'

Sturnn was aghast, while Plymouth eyebrows twisted to that of confusion. Sturnn asked, almost in admiration, "You…would surrender yourself to judgement as dictated by the Imperial Creed?"

"Yes," Nero smiled as he heard Jacques confirm.

"How do I know you will?" Sturnn continued firing off questions, "How do I know you won't attempt to flee once we have driven the enemy back where they came from?"

Jacques crossed his arms and stated, "You wanted to have insurance? I will give it to you, so long as do not consider the kemono animae here in Lylat as threats to the stability of the Emperor's realm now…."

He then glanced over at Fox, who was still looking distraught and angry with him.

"…and forever into the future."

The hologram projected Calgar didn't seem convinced, "As your Chapter-Master and Lord Macragge, do you swear by the Emperor, as well as the name of our Primarch of our chapter?"

Jacques responded with a determined grimace, "By the name of **Roboute Guilliman** I will not fail to uphold my word. Emperor and Primarch give me strength."

Calgar smiled, "And it shall be granted."

'Primarch?' Fox thought curiously, before thinking about Jacques time on the Star Fox team that year ago, 'Funny, he didn't mention this Guilliman guy much way back when.'

Satisfied by these arrangements, Sturnn begun to walk around the table accompanied by Plymouth past the other seated officers towards Jacques,. The Grey Knight looked down at the man, who was two feet less then him, and saw him extend his hand forward towards him.

"We have an alliance, Jacques Mortensen," Sturnn said, then turned to Fox and Alexander, "Fox McCloud, Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander."

Jacques turned to face Fox, who still appears distressed towards him. Fox saw a look of sadness in his eyes, as if he didn't want to turn himself in yet did it for the most important people to him, and ultimately for the greater good (the other sort). The vulpine's eyes widened, before he said to the General.

"General Sturnn," Fox said, "I believe if you want to seal an agreement between the Imperium and the Lylatian war machine you should shake hands with members of the Cornerian Armed Forces."

Sturnn lowered his hands and responded bluntly, "And where would they be?"

"On planet Venom, their emergency rendezvous point," Alexander replied, "We were on our way there to rally reinforcements in order to retake the outlying worlds bordering Corneria once they fall to Chaos."

Fox then suddenly added, "That is after you release the prisoners on the Beltino Station and allow them to bring as much of the technology they've been working on as well.

Nero rubbed his temple, believing the furries to be insane enough to designate that particular Death World as a secondary staging area, and that he was putting forward additional demands. He sighed and retorted, appearing emotionally exhausted, "Granted. Venom is where shall we go."

He turned to his vox caster.

"This is Admiral Nero to all Astropaths. You are ordered to signal the fleet for immediate departure of this sector. Our next destination is Venom."

Likewise, Alexander spoke into his vox, "All ships, prepare to resume previous course to Venom and to make way for additional Cornerian personnel."

"Likewise," Aun'shi said, "Our ship will stay close by and accompany you to Venom."

Sturnn faced him closely, "I trust you will keep an eye on your Commander Farsight?"

"We will closely monitoring him."

Jacques smiled at these developments, happy to have managed to once again secure Imperial support against their common foe. With the entire Cadian 412th, half of the Ultramarine 1st Company and possibly with dozens of Cornerian armies waiting for fight. And all of them would be supported by nearly a hundred surviving Lylatian scientists who would work around the clock in attempting to make life easier, they could stand a chance against the Forces of Chaos.

His eyes widened when he quickly realised how Krystal would react to Jacques offering to turn himself in if they manage to defeat the Despoiler. He knew she would probably be heartbroken at seeing him leave her and Lylat again, and definitely die by Inquisitorial hands. He guessed that was why Fox gave him dirty looks mixed with devastation. He closed his eyes and clinched his fists tightly, allowing Fox first hand to notice his inner conflictions.

Fox's face softened when he noticed his swaying eyes. Luckily no one else noticed this.

"So?" Aun'shi spoke up, "What do we do now as a coalition?"

"Return to your ships, Tau," Sturnn responded, no longer smiling and now appearing as hard as rock, "We possibly will meet again once we reach Venom. This meeting is over."

As Jacques sat up from his seat, Calgar said, "Jacques…"

"Yes, my lord?"

"I wish to see you as soon as humanly possible," Calgar said, sounding very forward, "We have something that belongs to you."

Jacques raised his eyebrows, "Something for me?"

Calgar then smiled, "Something that should help you remember what you stand for."

And with that Fox, Jacques, Aun'shi, Alexander, Jakob and the Fire Warrior were escorted out of the room by the commissariat guards, and not by the glares the Imperial officers and Nero flashed at them. Jakob stopped in his tracks and turned around to defiantly face the Imperials still seated at the table, and returned the glare. One of the officers immediately gasped at being stared down by a Tau gue'la and contemplated reaching for his laspistol. Jakob narrowed his eyes and smiled, before spinning around and rejoining Aun'shi, the tail of his trenchcoat moving around like a cape.

The startled officer inched his hand away from his laspistol, leaving it in it's holster, and turned to the General. Before he could open his mouth…

"I know what you're going to say, major," Sturnn said coolly, "In time he'll have the chance for redemption. And if not…"

Nero growled, "Then he's undeserving of the body he owns. In due time it will be taken away from him."

He then turned to the General, appearing serious.

"And I hope we will be able to dispose of our xeno allies in the same manner once we have driven Chaos back to their Hell!"

Sturnn again appeared hard as rock, "It would be 6,000 years in the making, Admiral…gentlemen. For the Emperor!"

The officers all stood from their seats and saluted…

"FOR THE EMPEROR!"

* * *

Less action in this chapter (though La'Jakob kicked some serious ass and made some Imperial enemies), but at least we've established where the Imperium will stand during the 14th Black Crusade.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned. As always, reviews and feedback appreciated.


	16. Chapter 15: Villainy

Disclaimer: See the Prologue 

_A/N: To __**Northernmegas**__, what I would recommend you listen to while reading this is the soundtracks to __**Final Liberation: Epic 40,000**__ and __**Warhammer 40,000: **__**Chaos Gates**__, as well as the __**Ultramarines Chant**__. You can find them on _**YouTube**_. And those really are kickass tunes!_

_To everyone else, sorry for the long delay and I have an announcement to make at the end of this chapter. And this may come late, but…__**Happy New Year!**_

* * *

Chapter 15 – Villainy

* * *

_Who pledged his loyalty?_  
The Warmaster  
_Whom did we serve in faith?_  
The Warmaster  
_From whom did we take our name?_  
The Warmaster  
_Who was denied to us?_  
The Warmaster  
_But whom shall we remake?_  
The Warmaster  
_And who shall lead us to victory?_  
The Warmaster

**- Black Legion Catechism **

The fourth planet and capital world of the Lylat System, Corneria, was more than a mere shadow of it's former, brilliant technological self; and for the third time in history. While Corneria's previous conflicts had merely left it's cities in ruin, awaiting to be rebuilt and revert back to their past glory, this time the planet now appeared to be beyond restoration, or even redemption for that matter. The Chaos warfleet belonging to the various Traitor Marine companies were all in orbit high above the planet's atmosphere, some ships raining down death through torpedo, lance and lascannon on military bases and facilities still intact, finishing off the planet's remaining military forces.

The surface of Corneria fast resembled a blasted nightmare. The sky and atmosphere was slowly turning a blood crimson colour. Vast warp storms appeared all over the sky, with lightning streaking across the purple clouds and acid rain beginning to drench the now daemon-infested landscape, beginning to eat away at the formally lush vegetation of the forests and swamps and poisoning the rivers, lakes and seas. The wildlife not killed by the poisons, which wouldn't normally harm a kemono or human, mutated into hideous apparitions and twisted parodies.

Most of the cities and population centres were now smashed and burning, with their surviving populations that had not escaped from the planet during the massive evacuation, succumbing to the wiles of the Warp. All this time the defence forces still present fought their damned hardest to keep the humans and their daemonic allies from overrunning what few civilians were left. But the civilian's innocent minds and bodies slowly became corrupted and twisted accordingly to the wills of their Chaotic masters; they immediately banded together and formed cults ranging from that of worship and devotion to doomsday. They then set their murderous hands on those who still had pure souls, strong wills and clear minds, butchering and sacrificing them as instructed by their deity of choice.

The cults dedicated to the Blood God Khorne were keen on spilling their blood all over the ground, which was the only way to appease him. The cults of the Plague God Nurgle set about releasing long thought extinct diseases stolen from Cornerian labs and infecting free Cornerians with them, seeing how long it would take them to either become used to the diseases or die slowly and painfully. The cults dedicated to the God of Excess Slaanesh inflicted every one of their perverted, disgraceful fantasies and practices on them, showing absolutely no mercy. The loyalists of Tzeentch sat about attempting to harness the power of the Warp through the tuition of Chaos Sorcerers and Psykers; who found it entertaining to see the cultists with their newly acquired powers test them out on free Cornerian test subjects. Various abilities and spells used ranged from mind control, summoning foul daemons to devour their bodies and the ability to reach into their bodies and steal their souls.

One such city that all this occurred, was the ostensibly named Terrierville, with violence and degradation escalated on a massive scale. Once the canine civilian population was wiped out completely, the Cornerian cult groups all suddenly turned on one another, with the cults to each of the four Gods of Chaos attacking one another with both Cornerian and Chaos armaments – ranging from butchers knifes to chainblades, blaster rifles and plasma guns. The Khorne cultists all revelled in the bloodshed, worshipping their deity through spilling their enemies' bright arterial blood all over the ground, while the Slaanesh cultist all felt pleasure with both killing and being killed, the sensation of pain arousing them to the extreme.

This was all under the watchful eye of their Chaos masters, particularly the black/gold-coloured Chaos Space Marines of the **Black Legion, **Abaddon the Despoiler's company. They revelled in seeing the tainted kemono's spilling one another blood, some of which was coated on their black and gold decorated armour; and over the shoulder planting badges, which was a gold eight-pointed with the eye in the middle.

Having the best view of the action over Terrierville on a hill was the Despoiler himself, along with his Sorcerer Zaraphiston – and four other Chaos Champions. One of them was **Malogurst the Twisted**, the Despoiler's chief enforcer, adorned in his demoniacally reconditioned power armour including helm. The remaining three were the **Chosen Champions of Abaddon, **one of which were named, and which Zaraphiston was one of them.

**Devram Korda** – The Tyrant of **Sarora -** the daemon of Slaanesh. Adorned in his vibrant armor and holding a standard bearing the flag of Chaos with his left gauntlet, he smiled insanely as he fantasised being amongst the kemonos and hacking them up himself.

Another chosen was a **champion of Khorne**, as he was dressed in crimson colored ornate power armor which was adorned in grinning skulls. He wore a snarling wolf mask over his horned bald head and had his deadly rusted yet sharp Khornate glaive sitting in his left hand, the blunt side touching the ground.

The last member of the Chosen was a **champion of Nurgle**. His rusted, bloated armor had tears in it, allowing pus and sickening fluid to ooze out of him, typical of Nurgle's minions. Anyone not familiar with the forces of Nurlge, to look upon the the Plague God's champion was to immediately vomit not just with sickening sight of him, but also with fear and the knowledge that once he strikes you with his plague sword, you only have seconds before you decompose.

Devram turned to his master, still smiling insanely, "Why do we not join my kemono cult brothers and have some fun, Despoiler?"

Abaddon look over at him and responded, "I thought simple voyeurism was enough for you?"

Devram licked his lips suggestively, "To just watch is never enough for me, Despoiler. I seek pleasure in all forms…and this season it is with my blade through a furry's sternum."

Abaddon smiled, amused by his sick mind, "Then what is stopping you from joining your cult, Devram?"

The Slaanesh champion starred at him with a blank face, before his maniacal smile returned to his face and he let go of the pole standard, where it was grabbed by Zaraphiston with his free left hand. He drew what appeared to be razor-sharp whip and charged down the hill towards the city, all the while chanting maniacally and beating his chest with his free hand.

Zaraphiston shook his head and muttered, "Just too insane, even to my…tolerance."

Abaddon looked over at him now, "Did I hear you say something, Zaraphiston?"

"You can tell me, master."

"I did."

"You answered you own question."

"You should learn to control you tongue, Sorcerer," Abaddon frowned, "Lest you be strangled with it."

"I will be silent now."

The champion of Khorne snickered, hearing Zaraphiston being smart with his master. For the longest he had known the sorcerer for being a very eccentric fellow, only being tolerated and keeping his head as Abaddon still had use for him. It would also appear that some elements of Chaos makes him uncomfortable, and that he has being known to show jealously towards other Sorcerers, most of all being the fallen Thousand Sons Librarian Ahriman.

The Khornate champion turned his head around to see a badly damaged Cornerian troop shuttle heading towards the city. One of it's wings was blown off so it flew at an angle and it's windows were shattered. The rest of the men spun around to face the oncoming ship, the Khornate champion immediately smiling wickedly behind his mask.

"Fresh victims!" he exclaimed excitedly.

----------

The orange-beret wearing Cornerian officer glared down at the Chaos Marines down below over the shoulder of the wounded main pilot, who was holding onto the controls with his left hand while his right clutched a chest wound, especially at the larger Marine with the big red/black coloured topknot. The Cornerian officer himself was no worse off, having half of his right ear flayed off and a chainaxe wound across his back. He looked behind his back towards the red-light drenched passenger cabin to see the remains of his platoon, all of which was injured or dying in some way, their groans and moans of pain assaulting his ears.

A dog trooper bearing the rank of corporal and missing his middle and ring fingers stepped up to him from the cabin, a pained glaze over his pale face. He breathed in and said, "Sir, I don't think Rogers and McCoy are gonna make it."

The officer sighed, "We're all not gonna make it, corporal. The Imperials have taken the planet."

The corporal shook his head, and exhaled "No…sir."

"What was that?"

"I…I don't the Imperium is attacking us. These Space Marines…don't like right," the corporal expressed his views, which didn't seem relevant now that their deaths were assured.

"ARGHHH!"

All ears perked up and all heads spun around to see the pilot's hand now off the controls and a even larger hole now in his chest, through the pilot's chair and out the other end. The other pilot panicked and took over the controls, prompting the officer to rush back up front and see that one of the Chaos freaks below, the one with the wolf mask, was firing up at them with a boltpistol.

"I can't hold it!" the other pilot cried, "Too much damage to the left wing and the engines. Going down!"

All arms grabbed hold of anything that could keep them still. The officer grabbed out of the dead main pilot's chair and gritted his teeth, hissing, "If we're going to Hell, we're take those freaks down with us!"

The backup pilot silently agreed, where with shaky hands he gunned the downing shuttle towards the Despoiler and his lieutenants. The champion of Khornate lowered his smoking boltgun still smiling, through ridiculously precise aiming had managed to bring the dropship down hurtling towards them. Abaddon looked over at him with a rather bored, uninterested expression.

"Bravo, champion," the Despoiler said, not even attempting to feign enthusiasm, "You have them hurtling towards us now."

At that the Chaos Marines all stepped to the side and allowed the dropship, and it's screaming crew and passengers to crash between them and skid down across the hill. It's hull was wrecked with mini-fires and explosions until it skidded across the brown grass and came to a stop at the bottom of the hill, still burning. The door to the side burst open and out jumped six Cornerian troopers, one of which wore an officer's beret, and another of which was on fire. His comrades immediately set to putting the fire out, rolling him over the grass and leaving him with massive burns all over his body.

Panicked that their attempted Kamikaze attempt was a failure and with both pilots dead, the beret officer's head shot upwards to see the Chaos Marines looking down at them. There was nothing but fear in him when he could see Abaddon looking down at him with narrowed eyes, which promised him a possibly lifetime of torment for him and his men. The beret clinched his eyes shut, and with his left hand he reached for his blaster holstered to his side.

With newly felt determination mixed with fatalism, he opened his glaring eyes and aimed up at the Despoiler. He was about to pull the trigger when he hadn't seen the Khornate champion having charged downwards to meet him in the field and attack from the side. Before he could aim at him, the champion swung his glaive and severed the beret's left hand off.

"MAJOR!" one of the Cornerian troopers cried as he and his comrades all grabbed their blaster rifle, he himself instead arming himself with his combat knife.

The beret instinctively gripped his left stump with his other hand as he fell over backwards. The now-laughing champion of Khorne charged at the other Cornerians, immediately going for the trooper with the knife. The trooper swung at the neck of the champion, who brushed his knife from his hand with a clap of his hand, before swing his glaive and rendering the trooper in half. Blood spewed forward from the severed dog kemono onto the others soldiers, who all fired their blaster rifles at close range.

"PRAISE KHORNE!"

With another stroke he struck again, slicing another Cornerian's head off, before turning on another and driving his glaive through the gut of another and impaling him, lifting him off his feet so that the screaming Cornerian sank deeper into the blade. The champion then swung towards another trooper, the body flying off and knocking him cold. The three remaining Cornerian troopers all choked on their feet and attempted to flee. When they turned away from the champion and the crash they found a massive crowd of half-naked female Slaanesh cultists waiting for them, each one of their twisted, evil pinkish/black eyes embodying lust looking at them eagerly.

The lead cultist, a white-furred, long red-haired vixen whose naked body was covered in blood and armed with a whip which was wrapped over her shoulder and torso which somewhat covered her left breast, shouted at the champion, "Back off, Khorne! We call these toys!"

The trio of male Cornerian soldiers appeared panicked and surprisingly unaroused at the sight of the crowd of barely clothed females seething and smiling seductively at them. The Khornate champion growled viciously through his mask and lowered his glaive. He then turned down towards the fallen beret, who was still bleeding profusely where his left hand would have been.

"I suppose you want him as well, decadent vixen?" the champion inquired.

The lead Slaanesh vixen shook her head and smiled at the champion as she stepped towards the fallen beret, whose tail and left hand brushed sensually across the champion's breastplate. She looked down at the beret with a frown, and whom looked up at the vixen with glaring eyes. Unamused, the vixen sighed and looked away as she stuck her foot out and drove it into the beret's crutch, causing his eyes to nearly bulge out and scream.

"Screams loud enough to tie me over for the evening," the vixen muttered, uninterested, "But by the amount of blood he's lost he won't be much use to us for long."

The champion shrugged, "Your deviancy is none of my concern, but fair enough."

The beret screamed louder as the champion gripped his glaive with both hands and drove it through his chest, finishing him off. The three remaining Cornerian troopers' eyes widened in unabated horror as the Slaanesh vixens advanced on them. Before they could let loose a single laser shot the cultists swarmed on them and subdued them. Snorting in apparent disgust, the Khornate champion looked away but felt the lead vixen hands and tail wrap around his torso seductively.

The vixen smiled amidst the other males and females triumphant screams mixed with the trooper's cries of protest as their weapons as well as much of their uniforms were stripped away from them. She and a few other vixens crowded around the Khornate champion, and begun caressing him everywhere, especially around his chest, each one cooing and moaning sensually around him.

Sensing Khornate champion's disinterest and being unaroused by the attention they giving him, she nonetheless whispered into his ear, "Care to join us, servant of Khorne? Pleasure's not restricted to the servants of Slaanesh, you know?"

The champion rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he felt the vixen's smooth tongue brush against his ear, "You can't tempt me, vixen."

The vixen appeared to pout, "Suit yourself, big boy. C'mon ladies…"

She and the other females with her then joined the crowd as they held the screaming stripped troopers above their heads and headed back to the city. Abaddon smiled at the developments unfolding before him, knowing that what acts of extreme violence and deviancy the damned Cornerians inflicted on what another, it made the pantheon of the Dark Gods happy.

And by now the exile known by the name Ahriman would commence his search for the one prize he so desperately craved to bring the Lylat System to it's once and for all…

'Everything…' he thought, 'Is going exactly to plan.'

----------

When looked from out the window of a starship one could easily mistake planet Fortuna for Sauria, as both were equal when it came to it's lush green tropical rainforests, rolling green hills and shimmering blue seas. But unlike Sauria, it was also a major population centre with many technologically sound cities, towns and other small population centres, with at least ten of them on every continent, and each one built in the middle of a forest. Luckily the population, mainly consisting of canines, foxes and simians, were very conscious about the environment around them and did everything in their part to make sure they did not damage it in any way. And if they did, they would see to it that the damage is repaired.

And bearing down towards it through the darkness of space was a small fleet of Chaos starships. A Desolate-class battleship flanked by several smaller Iconoclast destroyers, each one stuffed to the brim with enough firepower to rival a larger Imperial battleship. Following close behind were two Executor-class cruisers, each one stuffed with hundreds of Chaos Space Marines drawn from the Thousand Sons legion. More accurately, they were known as Rubric Marines – named after the curse, which destroyed their physical bodies and sealing them within their armour.

And within that armour they were all nothing but dust. Their souls fused in their blue/gold coloured customised armour, elaborate Ancient Egyptian/Gnostic style headpieces adorned on their helmets. They felt nothing the least bit uncomfortable with being crammed into both the ships. It was their curse playing on them, brought upon from the most hated of the Thousand Sons members which he inflicted upon them thousands of years ago. The man, that Librarian, was situated at the far back of the Desolate-class battleship, all those on board not Rubric – which consisted of both full Sorcerers and Sorcerer Marine, feeling their rage at breaking point at having the man they banished among them.

The angriest of the Thousand Sons present was the Sorcerer-Lord, who could be distinguished through his Pharaoh-like headgear, his golden cape on the back of his red scarab-studded power armour. Sitting in his empty personal chambers, the only light coming from a down-light shining on him from above, he twiddled his fingers as he tried to clear his corrupted mind and focus his psychic gifts in preparation for the upcoming descent down to the planet. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep him mind from drifting towards the smug Ahriman, and that he was probably kneeling in his quarters meditating; and he couldn't stop himself fantasising about putting a Deathscreamer blade through his chest, avenging his legion once and for.

He managed to stop thinking when he received a psychic message, embedding itself deep in his brain…

The fallen one is not present in his quarters, Lord Tlaken. 

…and that it set him off.

"DAMN HIM, THAT TRAITOROUS LIBRARIAN!"

With a roar of frustration, he grabbed both his Bedlam Staff and a melta-gun and blew apart the door into his room with a psychic blast, sending the two Rubric Marines guarding it flying. Their armor sounded hallow when they landed, and felt no discomfort as they stood back up an followed the fuming Sorcerer-Lord as he strode through the flag-standard decorated hallway leading to his quarters.

Cultists struggled to get out of his way as they went about their business, two of which weren't fast enough and were knocked down and crushed by his armored boots, blood spewing all over the floor. The liquid was immediately cleaned up by blue stingray-like daemons known as _**Screamers**_, who sucked the blood up through their skin like a sponge.

Another Sorcerer who had guessed his thought stepped through another door and before the Sorcerer-Lord. The two Psykers stared each other down, and appeared rather hostile to one another.

"Will you stand aside, Brother Sorcerer?" Tlaken said rather calmly.

"I dare read your thoughts," the Sorcerer responded, "And that is madness."

"It was madness he would be among us for the first time since the fall of the False Emperor!" Tlaken cried, "The Despoiler was mistaken in allowing him back through the promise of more artifacts."

"Which he will find no doubt for the glory of Tzeentch!" the Sorcerer cried, hands gripping the pauldrons of the Sorcerer-Lord, "Prince Magnus will be pleased. The Changer of Ways will reward us. The Imperium will burn. The False Emperor will be cast down from his throne."

Tlaken frowned, "Spare me our eventual victory! The traitor will taste blade!"

Using his mind he shoved the Sorcerer aside and continued to rush through the blue-lit hallways of the Desolate-class ship, until he stood in front of the door guarded by two Sorcerer-Marines armed with a staff and a boltpistol in each hand. They bowed their heads at the presence of the Chaos Lord.

"What of the traitor and his disciples?"

"They disappeared, my lord," the Sorcerer-Marines spoke as one, "Through what appears to be the Webway."

The Chaos Lord's eyes widened behind his helm. He then snapped his fingers and the door leading into the chamber telepathically opened. He and his escorts stepped into the chamber and found what appeared to be an electrical-charge like Webway portal floating in the centre of the room. A massive window situated on the right of the chamber revealed the planet Fortuna. Upon seeing the Webway and the planet at once, Tlaken immediately hoped that Ahriman and his Chosen decided to go on ahead down to the planet and begin their search without the watchful eye of the Thousand Sons.

"And even then I shall kill him!" Tlaken exclaimed, "I will crush his heart, and his follower's hearts, in the palm of my hand."

He then turned around to find his own followers look at him with incredulous stares. Unfortunately they couldn't see his smile.

"After he has found what we are looking for, of course." The Chaos Lord of Tzeentch added, sounding quite humorous.

---------

On the night side of Fortuna the stars shined brightly in the sky, with the moon adding to the light and bathing everything below in radiance. Normally the populace of Fortuna would silently bless the moon and stars every night for their nearly mystical shine over themselves, their cities and the quiet sanctity of the jungles. But now everyone was hoping that the night light wouldn't give their positions away as they had abandoned their homes and fled towards the shelters situated in the deep jungles.

After hearing the new reports and intercepted transmissions of what is said to the Imperium invading Corneria, the citizenry of Fortuna; realizing that their world is the closest to Corneria, immediately begun to prepare themselves against the coming invaders. Now, whole convoys and lines of kemono made their exodus out of the various walled cities situated on both sides of the world. Their destination: The pre-built and prepared bunkers and shelters built into the jungle, each one able to hold hundreds to thousands of people. Fortuna Home Guard lightly escorted them, with the majority of the armed forces, knowing that the enemy would attack the cities first, elected to stay in the urban area and prepare to fight off the invaders.

One young gray vulpine man held his wife to his side, who in turn held their infant daughter as she slept cradled in her arms. As they and several other people in a line walked into the jungle alongside a grassy path, with armed soldier escorting them, inadvertently intimidating the civilians. Distress was clearly evident on his face when he dared stop and take a look back at the walled city and seeing hundreds more people behind him walking in a line from the city, the moon shining down on them.

He felt his wife rub his shoulder, concern evident on her face. He turned to face her, sadness in both their eyes. He looked down at his daughter for a few seconds, watching her sleep, before he sighed and put his arm around his wife and they continued walking, the line compelling them to keep moving. It was always distressing to leave one's home, especially when you know that it probably won't be there when you come back.

Within the military installation below one of the walled cities of Fortuna that was accessible only by a secured underground parking garage, red alerts blared everywhere as hell begun to hit home. Green Beret wearing Lylatian soldiers equipped in shield-emitting powered vests over camouflaged battle dress uniforms, armed with blaster rifles machine-guns and rocket launchers ran about frantically towards the surface, steeling themselves for the upcoming fight against the Chaos Space Marines. Officers led them, shouting orders and expletives in driving them towards the fights, while senior officers in the war room stood around a grid table which emitted tactical holograms, each of the kemonos face looking determined at an image of Fortuna…and the approaching Chaos fleet.

_Human fleet approaching atmosphere at forty knots at second, _the computer buzzed.

The planetary military commander, a determined bulldog in a uniform, looked at the holograms with his fists clinched at his side. He said rather calmly to the computer, "How long till they break through the atmosphere?"

_Approximately ten minutes until the enemy forces makes planet fall._

The commander rubbed his chin and turned to his subordinates. He gave out his instructions, "Order all ground forces to entrench within our cities, on top of and just outside the walls. Open up orbital defenses the second they make contact with the atmosphere and send all available air support on the double!"

The officers all responded, "Acknowledged, sir."

"What's our intel on the enemy?"

"From reports garnered from Corneria, the humans have deployed Space Marine forces supported by lightly armed purebred soldiers," an officer holding a digital clipboard responded, "Sir, if I may point out…"

The commander turned to him.

"…none of our systems are identifying the invaders as Imperium."

The commander snorted, "I've seen their ships. I've seen their super soldiers. I've seen their men in flak marching in rank with bayonets attached to their flashlight guns."

His glare made everyone present nervous, especially when he produced a double-barreled blaster pistol with the Cornerian Army insignia on it.

"If we lose this world just like Falconia and Evergreen," the commander continued, waving his gun before his face "This will be the end of me, one way or another."

He lowered his gun and suddenly barked out loud.

"TO YOU POSTS! WE DEFEND THIS PLANET TO THE DEATH! AND IF TO THE DEATH, WE TAKE AS MANY OF THOSE SKINNED APES AS POSSIBLE!!"

The officer all nodded, feeling newfound determination seeping into them. They saluted and cried as one, "YES SIR!"

----------

It was peaceful in the deep jungles of the dark, night side of Fortuna, with many of the day critters sleeping soundly in the trees and below the ground, with the nocturnal animals out for the night and filling the jungle air with their animal cries and calls. The moonlight appeared to shine exclusively anywhere where one dared to stand, and especially over a small lake surrounded by trees. The animals nearby saw sense in staying away from that particular pond for all the right reasons.

Team Leader, this is Rainbow Delta 1…come in. 

A nearby radio communicator laid right next to a green-lensed prosthetic vision eye device laid atop a stack of clothes – a blue-colored armoured vest, pants and belt, as well as ligh-blue coloured towel, laid near the edges of the water.

_I repeat: Team Leader, this is Rainbow Delta 1…come in._

The way the moonlight appeared on the water, it seemed calm and serene and almost like looking into a mirror. And whomever that it was that was swimming underwater knew that for certain, and cursed whomever was trying to contact him through the radio.

_Pick the radio up, O'Donnell._

Immediately a middle-aged gray-haired wolf with an eye patch over his right socket, with white hair running down the center of his face, surfaced quite abruptly and let out a frustrated cry. He reached his hand out of the water and to the ground before the water and rested his head on the ground for a few seconds, before reaching over and grabbing the communicator.

"Yeah, what d'ya want, Leon?" Wolf O'Donnell growled, "I said I'd be back in a quarter of an hour! It takes that long to get a quarter of a year's worth of crap out of my fucking fur!"

_No need to go into detail about your metrosexuality, _the other side identified as Leon replied coyly,_ We got trouble…and it's of the human kind._

The word 'human' didn't do anything to dispel Wolf's annoyance. He could only sigh and respond, "Yeah alright. See you in two. Out!"

He switched off the communicator and laid it on the ground, before getting out of the water and reached for the towel. He quickly ran it over his fur and dried himself off. He then pulled his pants up and grabbed his prosthetic eye equipment. He looked at his reflection in the water and used it as a guide as he tore off his eyepatch, then inserted the prosthetic into his socket and the accompanying tech to the side of his head. In doing so he could see out of his right eye socket. He looked at himself in the water and smirked at himself with a wolfy grin.

He put on his vest, before picking up his blaster holster and tying it to his left hip. He then departed away from the lake, rushing through the jungle past the tree and through the bushes, counting this as exercise as to make sure he keeps his years off.

----------

Somewhere far off in another clearing in the jungle and near a small, shallow freshwater creek were three Wolfen-model starfighters with green/brown jungle camouflage netting over them, which would perfectly keep them from view if seen from above. Across from them were three separate green-colored tents, a small table and chair with a communication set plugged to a small power source at the back, and a green-colored purple-suited chameleon was sitting at the table and at work on the communicator.

"Hmmm…interesting…very interesting," Leon adjusted his headphones and hummed to himself, "Humanity, eh? Who would have thought?"

The tent at the farthest end zipped open and out stepped a black-furred panther dressed in what appeared to be ornate gold winged chest plating over a white flight suit. A small white line of fur edged near his left eye, which was in a determined glare as he held a machine-gun in his right hand. He slapped the magazine in with his left hand and holstered it on his back.

"Talking to yourself again, lizard?" Panther Caruso asked, "Shouldn't you be doing something else?"

"Such as?" Leon Powalski responded, uninterested.

"Making sure you have a high-powered rifle or at least your sidearm equipped," Panther answered as he opened a nearby crate and counted how many more additional weapon rounds the had, "If the Imperium's decided to take up real estate then we'll be in for a long one."

Leon sighed, "The communiqué didn't mention that these humans were Imperium. And they suggest that they're worse than what the…"

He gestured with his hands.

"…the 'God-Emperor' could throw at us."

Panther smirked, "Any theories?"

"I'll let you know if I think of any."

Panther's smirk faded as he got to work, now with packing up his camp equipment. He stepped back into his tent and went through a folder of files, where he flipped through twenty sheets of himself, Wolf and Leon and how they were the Top 3 of Corneria's Most Wanted, each with about a hundred-thousand credits per head dead or alive. Panther thought that was an insult…

'I'm worth more than that,' he thought annoyed, 'A hundred-million tops is more like it.'

He went through some more files before stopping at one detailing the history and accomplishments of the Star Fox team.

_**Extracted**_** Classified Files – ****Star Fox team**** circa 3198 LD, Lylatian Calendar; 998.M41, Imperial Calendar**

He frowned upon feeling it, but it immediately turned into a grin once he came across a photograph of the Star Fox team, and he especially focused on Krystal, the smiling blue vixen in her blue suit with staff in hand. He then noticed that she was standing before a seven-to-eight foot brown-haired human clad in blue power armor with the omega and arrow symbols on his shoulder plating, or pauldrons as the formal term was. The way he towered over her and how she was leaning on him with her arms crossed made him feel uncomfortable. He noticed how Fox was looking over at Krystal and the Space Marine, and had what looked a small, sad smile playing on his face.

'There's something about that girl,' he thought to himself, 'Even a human doesn't mind her using him as a doorstop.'

Realization set in as suddenly became puzzled…

'Hey, how did McCloud recruit a human anyway? Thank God Wolf decided to keep a low profile after the Aparoid catastrophe.'

He heard distant rumbling outside the tent, prompting him to immediately step out and notice Leon looking up at the sky. He did the same, and saw small lights flashing in the sky, and more lights falling down in the form of laser blasts as they hit the earth, and what Panther assumed to be the walled city not far from their part of the jungle. A massive explosion was then seen in the distance coming from the city, which he then looked over straight at Leon, who immediately begun packing up the communication equipment. Leon glanced over his shoulder, looking rather plain.

"Enjoying the view?"

"What? You or the impending human invaders?"

"Quick sightseeing and pack you stuff, Casanova!"

Panther visibly shuddered at Leon's suggestive language and stepped into his tent, carrying about two cases full of his personal effects, which he hobbled over to his Wolfen and stuffed into the cargo compartment. He then suddenly remembered…but before he could open his mouth.

"We'll give him five," Leon answered the question he was going to ask, "Something tells me we should get off this vegetated rock the second humanity lays their overevolved foot on it."

Panther nodded and slammed the compartment door close, clicking the airtight locks into place, "Concurred."

----------

The grey-furred member of the lupine race rushed through the jungle as fast as his feet could manage, knowing that the campsite was at least a six yards away. Wolf had to envy himself, for his age he could still run as fast as any young man and was nearly twice as strong. At 5'8 he was one of the tallest recorded Lylatians in the system, with the common height of the average kemono male from between 4'0 to 5'0. Lupines had the notoriety to being taller and of bigger build, nearly rivalling of the average purebred human; whose height ranged from 5'4 to nearly 6'5. The Space Marine's height was nearly double, the height from 7 feet to 10 freaking feet…as according to the Cornerian data files on humanity.

One time when Wolf had hacked into those files, he found nothing but spite towards the human race.

Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he saw an blinding white light, followed by the sounds of an electrical explosion. The sheer force knocked him onto his back and distorted his vision for a few seconds as the Webway someway found it's way into the material universe. As quickly as it had appeared it disappeared, leaving Wolf with troubling feelings.

'That's something you don't see every day,' he thought, 'Electrical bursts appearing in the middle of the jungle. And here I thought Corneria was being eco-friendly on this planet.'

Curiosity got the better of him as he made his way towards the area of the explosion. He looked like was going to gasp out loud in rare fright when he saw what he would never see if he ever lived to be an old man.

Standing in their small, burnt-out improvised clearing in the jungle, Ahriman and two other sorcerers plus an escort of ten Rubric Marines stood in their place, with burnt, shattered wood and bush crushed under their feet. Ahriman looked around himself, attempting to clarify why he and his followers should be at all interested in their current endeavour instead of trying to find the one source of all the knowledge in the entire universe.

"In searching for the Imperator," Ahriman begun with contempt, "It best be afflicted with a daemon, a long-forgotten deity of the Warp or contains knowledge equivalent to that of the cursed Black Library."

One of the other Sorcerers turned to him and asked, "But Master, do you not remember why you agreed to render your services to Tzeentch and the Primarch for one last time?"

"Vividly," Ahriman spat out, "But I did not think our search would begin in this life-filled oversized garden."

He then gripped his staff, where crimson energy begun to stem forward from it.

"We shall have to burn half the planet down to better aid our search," Ahriman announced, pointing out towards the bushes, "I am sure we can persuade our brothers to facilitate that little need."

The other Sorcerers nodded in agreement, and each handled their staff with delicate care. Wolf looked at them with a sneer, unbelieving their reckless disregard for life. And those thoughts suddenly made him smile amusingly, as he realised that the Librarian had in fact being pointing towards his position through his rhetoric. He then stood up from his bushes and actually begun to walk towards the clearing, hands risen to his sides and now laughing gently.

This caught the attention of the Rubric Marines, who all turned towards the figure stepping out of the bushes and aimed their bolters at him. The Sorcerers faced him with hatred and contempt evident in their eyes seen through their helms, while Ahriman back was turned towards the lupine. Wolf smiled and decided to get his attention.

"Alright, you got me," Wolf said, hands still up, "Burn the planet down, eh? And I assume it's the parts of the planet that has the jungle on it, right?"

He turned towards the blue-robed Librarian. Ahriman smiled within his helm and turned to face him fully. He waved his hand down and the bolter-wielding Rubric Marines lowered their weapons, each one surprised they followed that order. The other Sorcerer looked at their Master questioningly.

"If you knew I knew you were crouching in the bushes, you could have run for your life, lupine," Ahriman reminded him, "Get at least half-a-mile before I personally come to shatter your physical shell and take your soul."

Wolf shook his head, hearing the Librarian, "What would be the point, then?"

Ahriman stepped up towards Wolf, and found that he didn't exactly toward over him, as the lupine height was at the Librarian's chest. Two Rubric Marines grabbed Wolf by his arms and held pushed him down to his knees before Ahriman. The Librarian looked down at the lupine, who was looking down at the ground and not up at him.

"You kemonos are fascinating creatures," Ahriman made his thoughts known, "The near shape and form of the mutant, but as intelligent and resourceful as a man, but therefore not human and henceforth an alien…but a fascinating creature nonetheless."

Wolf's smirk returned, "Least I know you jerks are as pompous as the Imperium, so that solves the mystery by a quarter."

The smile remained even when he suddenly felt a knee grind itself into his gut, courtesy of one of the Rubric Marines who, in his point of view, did it as gentle as possible as to not kill him. He just clinched his teeth tightly, still appearing humorous. Annoyed, Ahriman waved the Rubric Marines away and they complied, taking their places behind the Librarian/Sorcerer. Wolf once again dropped his smile, and felt that the Marines had sent his food back up his trachea, causing him to throw up before Ahriman.

"You have no idea whom what you kneel before, do you not?"

Wolf wiped his mouth and stared up at Ahriman, getting up on his feet, "Should I?"

"If you want to decide who will do worse to your system, then yes."

"Then what are you?"

"Chaos. My former masters."

Wolf queered his eyebrows. "Chaos? _Former_ masters?"

Ahriman shook his head, almost sad, "What a pity. Much like the other furries in this pitiful part of the opposite galaxy they did not the full power of the Warp it's servants came to destroy them. But unlike the other furries, you are something worth salvaging."

Wolf glared, "What?"

Ahriman tapped his forehead and said, "What if I told you I will give you a ten-second head start before I sent my servants after you?"

Sounding uninterested, Wolf responded, "You serious?"

Ahriman gripped his staff and pointed it at him, "Very. I will enjoy pursuing you through the jungle and tearing you soul from you mortal shackles."

Wolf smirked…

"Yeah, well…LOTS OF LUCK!"

…and spun around, and begun sprinting as fast as he can., until he got some distance away from the clearing in four seconds, leaving six seconds for him to think about what he had just gotten himself into.

'What the fuck was wrong with me?' he cursed at himself, 'Something about that robed motherfucker drew me to him…oh crap, it's been ten seconds…'

Immediately a tree before him was caught in a crimson explosion and it toppled down towards him, he rolled sideways to avoid it, before picking himself up and continued running towards the campsite.

----------

Panther and Leon's head jerked sideways towards the jungle, having heard and somewhat felt that explosion.

"What the heck was that?" Panther inquired.

Leon frowned and sharply ordered, "Get in the Wolfens."

----------

With his heart pounding against his chest and the sweat rolling into his eyes, Wolf ran through the jungle, hearing the sound of tree being knocked over and vegetation being crushed as the Thousand Sons' Marine were in pursuit. He suddenly heard boltguns blaze behind him and a round pass by his ear and shatter the bark off a tree next to him. He closed his remaining eye, not wanting to get splinters in it.

'Goddamnit!' he cursed to himself, 'They wear freakin' power armour, and they move like…!'

Crimson fire sprouted out before him and razor-sharp chains appeared from the ground, intent on snaring him and dragging him down to the other side. Thinking fast, Wolf jumped up and landed his feet on a nearby tree, he then rebounded off it, leaping over the chains as they lunged at him. He felt a sharp edge graze against his foot, which inflicted nearly unbearable on his left foot. He clamped his mouth sharp and limped a few steps forward, before breaking out into a run again.

"Fuckin' sorcerers," he growled softly, before yelling out behind him at the top of his breath, "IT'LL TAKE MORE THAN THAT TO STOP ME, YOU TIN-CANNED SONS OF BITCHES!"

He looked ahead and above and saw through the trees lascannons firing from orbit on the walled city nearby. He prompted picking up the pace and praying that his team mates had the common sense to have taken off and gotten to safety bey now. By the time Wolf got to the campsite, Leon and Panther were already strapped in their Wolfens, with most of the equipment packed up, leaving only the tents. Both his team mates looked his way, and how he was frantically throwing his arms upwards and mouthing words incomprehensible, as he wasn't using his communicator.

Wolf rolled his eyes and growled as he grabbed his communicator, "TAKE OFF, NOW! GET THE FUCK OFF…"

He was cut short when Rubric Marines tore through the forest into the clearing with him, boltguns blazing and swords drawn. Instinctively, Panther and Leon quickly initiated their launch sequences and took off, slowly hovering off from the ground as bolter and plasma round fired up at the both of them and at Wolf. Seeing as how his Wolfen was out of reached, he dove into the creek and kept as low as possible as more Chaotic ordinance flew over and past his head.

As the Rubric Marines went out into the open, the Arwings were fully in the eye, with Leon and Panther prompting themselves to perform a U-turn each and fire on the Marines, providing Wolf with cover. Leon smiled sadistically as his laser tore the automaton Marines apart, releasing their souls from ten thousand years of unfeeling torment.

_Going for a swim, Wolf? _Panther asked the lupine over the com.

Wolf growled and got up from the creek, immediately making a beeline towards his Arwing, with Leon and Panther still firing from above at any Rubric Marine that stepped out the forest to attack. The canopy of the Wolfen opened just as Wolf leapt up onto the wing and jumped into the cockpit, not waiting for the canopy to close as he fire up his fighter's plasma engines.

"Alright, I'm good!" he exclaimed at his communicator, "Thanks for the cover!"

Just as Wolf hovered off the ground, a bolt immediately grazed the side of the Wolfen, and he swore he felt his own arm get grazed. Immediately he felt anger boil within him as the pupils of his eye diluted, immediately looking straight through the window at the Marine who fired at him with a boltpistol. As more bolter fire grazed the Wolfen he got into the ear, and immediately readied a missile, glaring straight at the Marine below.

"This is for my beautiful Wolfen!" he cried out loud.

The Rubric Marines didn't even notice the massive explosion that followed as Wolfen launched straight at the clearing, immediately melting holes in their armour and releasing their souls to the wind. Leon and Panther somehow felt sorry for those Chaos Space Marines who made him made.

_Let's get off this rock!_ Wolf ordered sharply, _Before the humans reduced it to only one!_

They silently obeyed as the Star Wolf team accelerated upwards into the atmosphere and away the jungle, all the while silently being watched by a convent of Sorcerers whose feet still touched the ground. Ahriman smiled behind his helmet, watching them disappear into the night sky.

'Perhaps this will be worth the Black Library after all,' he thought snidely, then mentally added, 'Of course it will not, but this is a worthy distraction after traversing the dull, colourless Webway for many millennia!'

When Star Wolf broke through the atmosphere, they were immediately greeted by the vessels of the Thousand Sons fleet, which immediately opened up with their laser batteries, missile launchers and their larger lance cannons, firing off blasts of crimson and red.

"Aw crap!" Wolf exclaimed, "Evasive manoeuvres!"

With gravity blades engaged they sped forward, barrel rolling to avoid the laser fire. They skimmed over the Desolate-class battleship, firing their own bursts of plasma and taking out as many of the smaller lascannons. Leon smiled maliciously and homed in on of the ship's larger lance cannons, pressing a skull-imprinted button on his dashboard and readying one of his custom missiles.

_Leon! _Wolf's shrill cry came over Leon's com, What _the hell are…?_

Leon switched off his communicator as his grin threatened to split his entire face as he practically nosedived towards one of the lances. He then pressed the skull-button and fired off a red/black coloured spiked missile which hurtled towards the lance and exploded on impact just as Leon pulled up and rejoined Star Wolf. The massive fiery explosion was complimented by another explosion, which consisted of a massive seismic shockwave, which appeared to throw the Desolate off balance.

As soon as Leon reformed with Star Wolf…

_What the hell was that? _Wolf blurted over the com.

Leon giggled, "Heh heh, just testing out some of my new ordinance."

Smirkingly, Panther asked,_ I'll assume_ _you went extralegal when it came to getting it together._

"You know it."

_Cut the chatter, _Wolf cut in, _Leon, remind me to strangle you to death once we get outta here. MOVE!!!_

The Wolfen accelerated past the ships of the Thousand Sons fleet, dodging more laser blasts, lance strikes and missile barrages, with Wolf nicking a tip of a gravity blade against a lance blast. Gritting his teeth and wanting to spare more agony to his Wolfen and the Machine Spirit that existed within it. The cultist gunners within the Chaos fleet grew immensely frustrated and angry at missing them and doubled their efforts in shooting them down.

But finally, they pushed through the fleet, each scoring minimal damage to their respective Wolfen.

Wolf sighed with relief and leaned back into his seat. His teeth finally begun to ache after clinching them so much during the escape from the planet, and the Thousand Sons legion. He swore he had never seen Space Marines act like both robots and lightning rods, where not even a rocket launcher to the chest wouldn't even make them grunt with annoyance. He looked out the Wolfen's canopy, glad to find that Leon and Panther made it as well, as were also powering down their Wolfens, their gravity blades loosening up.

"Leon? Panther?"

He looked to his right and saw Panther wave at him from the cockpit of his Wolfen, and heard over the communicator, _In one piece, Wolf._

"Leon?"

He looked to his left and saw Leon looking straight ahead, but waved two fingers in a salute towards him, _Never thought I'd wind up a target._

Wolf closed his eyes, shook his head and crossed his arms, "To the human's bolters? We'd all like to think that wouldn't be in this century. Anyway…."

He opened his eyes as he continued, sounding drawl.

"…what in the name of the Almighty did we just go up against?"

Leon shrugged, "Who cares? If they're human it's bad enough. Now, we need to new place to lay low."

Wolf brought up his ship's navigation computer and studied it, "In the direction we're facing, we've got two destinations: Kantina and MacBeth."

_Since Katina is Lylat's equivalent to the human Cadia, then MacBeth it is, _Panther said, then added solemnly, _But shouldn't we do something?_

Appearing surprised, Wolf asked, "About Chaos?"

_That's what he means, _Leon added snidely.

Wolf frowned, "Us three against possibly every traitor Space Marine legions? It'd be no contest. And if you're think we should band with the Cornerian Army, then that's out of the question as well. Besides…"

He growled lightly, which sent shivers through both Leon and Panther over their communication channels.

"Loyalist or not…I've seen what the Space Marines do to entire star system, and I'm not eager to go up against them again anytime soon."

He heard Panther chuckle helplessly over the com, and say, "I'd say it's pathetic that we'd hide in an abandoned train yard on the hollow planet while Lylat goes up in smoke, but I can't stand the sound of your voice when you growl."

"Then don't say it. Now move out!"

The Wolfen's engaged their gravity blades and fired up their plasma drives. Seconds later they accelerated with near-light speed away further into the black.

----------

En-route to the Death World known as Venom were two massive fleets of Imperial starships, with a singular Tau Explorer-class with the Great Fox II in tow wedged between them. Thousands upon thousands of personnel were crammed into each vessel, with most resting up in their respective quarters in preparation for a long-time's worth of war, with only the necessary personnel manning the controls behind each vessel. Even the Grey Knight, the Only Good Human known as Jacques Mortensen had taken to retiring for a while.

His torso armour plating was removed, replaced by a large loose-fitting white shirt over his blackish-grey 'black carapace'. It was interesting to note that the purity wards that were fitted underneath his skin made his arms and legs slightly pale. Pang was evident on Jacques' face as he leaned against the wall near the archway door of his bedroom, which was the Admiral's suite of the Augustus. The suite in itself was considered very elegant on par with the other higher-ups' sleeping quarters of the Imperial Navy, consisting of a bathroom, small lounge, neighbouring dressing room and a very large bed, suited for Jacques' seven foot frame, which he was out of his armour. Candles were lit on a nearby table, which Jacques was staring at the slowly burning wicks as he was again tried to focus his mind.

He knew he should be feeling a small degree of satisfaction. He, the Cadian 412th and the Ultramarines had managed to agree to a temporary truce and alliance against the Forces of Chaos, but unfortunately at the cost of his freedom. Jacques did not mind at all, seeing as how it would preserve the lives of his friends and kinsmen, and especially Krystal. He did not bother to tell her of what it took to sway the Imperials over to their side. Rather he allowed her and the rest of the Star Fox team to immediately collapse on the nearest bed on board the Augustus and each drifting off towards a troubled sleep. He felt immediately guilty over his decision…

He tapped his forehead lightly, 'I must think of something else.'

On another note, he and his forces had managed to successfully bargain for the lives of Slippy, Beltino, Amanda and all the other Lylatian scientists and had them all moved to his fleet, all of which took up quarters on board the Augustus and it's many hundred room and suites. He, Alexander, the main officers of the Kronus 1st and Eden, as well as the members of Star Fox took up the staterooms which made up half of the command deck of the Augustus. Except for Slippy and Amanda at the moment, as the young couple immediately begun to seek out ROB, whom Jacques guessed, was right now in the main engineering level of the ship, giving the techpriests and their servitors a hand. Jacques knew that for the technologically minded amphibians it wouldn't be long before they caught the attention of the Techpriests in their fleet.

But back to what he was originally feeling discontent about, he could feel the taint of Chaos still slowly spreading through the Lylat System. Though the Eden/Imperial/Tau fleet were light years away from Corneria, he could somehow still sense them coming closer, bringing with them the kind of death and mayhem that only comes from the servants of the Chaos Gods. He knew the first thing they had to do once they made contact with the remaining Cornerian forces they have to prepare to defend themselves and stall the Chaos advance long enough to begin launching their own counterattacks.

He stepped out of his room and into the main hallway, where the other bedrooms were located through the doors to the side. He turned towards the large archway at the very end, which led into the lounge suite and the main elevator which would lead to the bridge just above them or the hangar areas deep down below past the other living quarters and various engineering levels, gunnery decks and supply stores. Knowing he will never be able to sleep through all his conflicting thoughts and the events of tonight (not that he wanted to sleep anyway), he decided to go and check up on Slippy. Jacques longed to reaffirm his friendship with his fellow team-mates and of this moment Slippy was the only one who was awake. His instincts suggested he should check the hangar first, so he decided to follow.

He placed his right hand on the wall, and took care in treading down the hallway softly in his steel boots. His hand moving across the wall and past two other doors which led into Fox and Krystal rooms, respectively. His hand lingered on Krystal's door for a second before he moved on, for a brief moment thinking about his best friend and sister he never grew up with.

----------

"Slippy…I think we're lost."

"We're not lost, we're in a lift."

"This ship is almost half the size of a small town. Maybe we should have followed Fox up to the dormitories and called it a night."

"No way! Not until I've checked that Fox's being oiling ROB's joints regularly."

In the elevator car going downwards, Amanda appeared unamused as she stared at Slippy, "But aren't we going down to engineering? That could be a restricted area, and you know…"

She then rubbed her arm nervously.

"…how humans can get anxious if you cross them."

Slippy smiled that all too reassuring smile, "But not these humans. If they think the same as Jacques, then they'd practically let us play with their power tools."

"But shouldn't we at least be cautious around them?"

The elevator came to a screeching halt before the Engineering Levels, the sound of machinery buzzing humming being heard beyond the elevator doors. Slippy turned towards the door, the sounds drawing his attention for a brief second. He then turned back to Amanda, and could see genuine concern and fear in her eyes.

But still he smiled. He said affirmatively, "Not every human is bad as the media keeps telling us."

Amanda slightly shuddered at how the Cornerian media would portray humanity as religiously fanatical hairless apes who live for nothing more than to wage war on hapless, defenceless races and subjugate whole planets in the name of their Emperor God. And all that was 'known' after the only major Lylatian/Human conflict, the Battle of Kew, many thousand years ago, where millions of Lylatians and humans were killed. And that Corneria saw the Imperium as the dominant species of the neighbouring galaxy.

The elevator doors opened and they were immediately greeted to the sight of a incredibly large complex as far as the eye can see. The aft section of the Augustus held many massive plasma engines and warp drives, each with many servitors under the watchful eye of one Techpriest working on them, making sure they stayed maintained and fully operational. Wide-eyed with awe, Slippy and Amanda stepped out of the lift and were immediately greeted by a servitor.

_Adjusting unit dialect to Local language, _the half-mechanoid hummed in a language that Slippy and Amanda couldn't understand, which sounded almost like latin. It then bellowed mechanically, "You do not have sufficient clearance to enter engineering. Turn back or face immediate consequences."

Amanda was visibly distressed at the sight of the servitor, which was a lobotomised human dressed in nothing but what appeared to be metallic underwear, who had pneumatic lifters in place of his arms. Another servitor joined in, which had a free hand and a double-barrelled autogun for a left arm.

"Gun Servitor unit online!" the other servitor hummed, "Readying weapon."

Slippy gulped and felt beads of sweat run down the side of his face. Before he could step back, however…

_Tech units Beta-43 and 54 – stand down immediately!_

…someone called out to them in a language so intelligible and grinding it hurt both Slippy and Amanda's ears. Both servitors turned towards a Techpriest stepping down towards them from some metallic stairs. Slippy eyes widened as he laid eyes on the half-human, red-cloaked being, while Amanda appeared to look even more disillusioned. The servitors then stepped away from the amphibians and carried on with their work – the worker with moving about mechanic parts with his lifts and the gun servitor guarding a nearby door.

Slippy sighed with relief and smiled at the Techpriest, "Hey thanks for the save. I thought we were gonna be either grinded by the worker or blasted by the gunny."

The Techpriest appeared to look friendly and spoke, but in what sounded like High Gothic. Slippy and Amanda appeared confused, but before Slippy could suggest through awkward speech if he speaks Lylatian, the Techpriest rolled his eyes and waved his index finger about. He then reached for what appeared to be a dial situated on his chest and turned it.

"Lingua Lylatian, technicus amphibius?" the Techpriest appeared to question.

Slippy shook his head. The Techpriest adjusted the dial some more and spoke again, the only thing that hadn't changed was his grinding tone of voice courtesy of his vox-caster/synthesiser…

"Can you comprehend Lylatian, amphibian technician?"

Slippy smiled and gave a thumbs-up, "Crystal clear."

"You amuse me, amphibian. How you listened to Omnissiah's chosen lingua and not be daunted."

"Nah, you only surprised me," Slippy replied, "Especially how you spoke to your…er…droids."

The techpriest crossed his arms, "That was **Lingua Technis, **the language of the Adeptus Mechanicus, to whom I serve as the overseer of one of it's fine vessels, which has existed in the material realm for thousands of years."

He stretched his hand forward.

"I am Tyler Mackabee of Mars."

Slippy smiled and accepted it, shaking his hand forward, "Slippy Toad of Corneria."

Amanda couldn't help but inquire, "You seem happy to meet us?"

"Your suspicion as to why I seem hospitable towards non-humans is understandable. A few of the Deus Mechanicas' high servants have an open mind towards Lylatian technicians and engineers, not to mention their machinery, as we have sensed the Machine Spirit to flow freely through them. Clearly that tells us…"

He and Slippy made sincere eye contact.

"…that the Machine God himself flies with you through your Arwings. And he has shown great favor towards you."

Amazed, Slippy beamed, "You think?"

"The Machine God?" Amanda asked.

"The Deus Mechanicus. The originator of humanity's entire technological and scientific knowledge and works of art. Without him, our species would have been plunged into an eternal Dark Age, just like what happened before the Omnissiah's Great Crusade."

"The Omnissiah?"

"You would be familiar to him," Tyler explained, "He is also known as the God-Emperor of Mankind – Jacques Mortensen's master. He is the avatar of the Machine God, and now watches us all from his Golden Throne on the Holy Terra."

Slippy nodded, "Yep, we're familiar with him."

"Where is ROB?" Amanda asked.

"ROB?"

"He's an android…a robot. We've being looking through this mini-city for him."

Tyler nodded and pointed towards the distance toward a familiar looking **Space Dynamics** produced AI typing away at a console, right beside a tech adept strapped to the machinery and inputting his own instructions towards it. The smile on Slippy's face threatened to split it in half, as he was that happy to see him. He waved his hands about as he called out to him.

"Your 'abominable intelligence' has been useful in assisting my kinsmen in their work."

"Hey!" Slippy cried in his most irritated voice his squeaky tone could manage, waving about and faced Tyler with a frown, "What d'ya mean 'abominable.'"

Tyler wasn't fazed by Slippy's shift in attitude, "Some 'purists' of the Mechanicus sees artificially-created intelligence as an abomination to the Machine God, and the Machine Spirit in general, in belief that they are soulless cretins who border heresy."

He continued, seeing how Slippy was getting steamed.

"But luckily I am not one to question the usefulness of an artificial person."

Slippy was about to crack, which was visible on his face, "Why you…?"

He stopped himself from exploding with rage when ROB approached him. He temporarily dropped his anger and instead beamed with joy and launched himself at the robot, embracing him around the midsection, much to the surprise of both Amanda, Tyler and ROB himself. Realizing what he was doing, he let go and rubbed the back of his head.

"Er…sorry," Slippy chuckled nervously, "Just that glad to see you."

"That is affirmative," ROB computed, "It has been over four months since we last communicate, and this unit also displays relief over your continued existence."

Tyler smirked behind his vox-respirator, amused at the display between Slippy and the automaton.

"I trust you are ready to unleash your frustrations on me again, Toad?"

Slippy turned back to him, looking confused, "About what?"

Amanda sighed, 'He forgot about why he was livid at the machine-man? Typical.'

"Sooooo…." Slippy said as he whistled lightly, "We were talking about our respective technological histories and expertise."

"You may ask me one more question for now," Tyler informed him, "Before I am privileged to query you on your mechanical servants."

Before Slippy could open his mouth, Amanda jumped the gun, "I've got to ask about the engines that power your ships."

Tyler crossed his arms just as he was joined by two other techpriests, "Ask."

"What kind of engines are they?"

"They are a plasma drive used for normal propulsion through the material space. Normally they would take up a third of the of the ship's length. The aft section is comprised of reactors engine compartments and a mass of drive tubes."

He then queered his eyebrows.

"I suppose you want to know what navigates the ships?"

Both the amphibians looked at one another, then nodded eagerly towards the techpriests.

"Normally each ship would have a Astropath on board, a specialized psyker who is tasked to use his psyhic gifts to guide the ship through space. The Astropath's beacon would the Golden Throne of Terra, where the Omnissiah sits, and which his spirit guides all of humanity as they travel across the stars."

"You said 'normally'?" Amanda asked.

"But since we have no Astropaths or even psykers among us, this rather strained task goes to the Archon – Jacques Mortensen. His partial presence within the Warp would allow him to stretch his own psychic beacon across our fleet and connect with the Omnissiah, allowing fluid navigation."

Slippy appeared pained. "Something tells me that much strain would eventually…er…kill him?"

Tyler nodded, "Luckily for us he only does that when the situation calls for it. Most of the time he would sense the presence of other 'anchors' and would advise us to steer clear of the other Imperial ships in the galaxy. Since he has been doing that for the past three months, we have successfully avoided conflict with the Imperium. Until now, of course."

"That blows."

Tyler then stepped forward, the servi-arms on his back whirring to life, "Now that I bestowed upon you a part of my knowledge, it is time for you to repay."

Now Slippy was nervous, especially at the sight of his mechanical appendages, "H…how do we that?"

Tyler's eyes closed, as if he was smiling, "You shall direct me and a few of my colleagues towards your Arwing starfighters and bestow upon us your knowledge of them."

And now Amanda was more worried then ever. She turned to Slippy and whispered, "I don't think that's a good idea. We don't know for sure what they would do if we tell them."

Slippy appeared offended, which no doubt surprised Amanda, "And we don't know for sure what they would do if we don't."

Tyler frowned, "It would benefit both the Adeptus Mechanicus and Lylat greatly if both our nations were to finally be a peace."

Completely ignorant of the last nine words Tyler just spoke, Slippy smirked and invitingly stood aside away from the elevator, "You got it, pal. I'll take you back to Flight Engineering 101."

The three techpriests nodded in approval with one another, and stepped into the elevator. Slippy, Amanda and ROB followed, where the doors closed roughly behind them. For Amanda, was there such thing as developing claustrophobia? Because she definitely felt like it as the Techpriest with their attached servi-packs made her feel completely cramped alongside Slippy and Amanda.

'Focus, Amanda, focus,' she thought, 'If you can't a least understand where human technology comes from, it'll haunt you for life.

----------

Falco sighed as he stared up at the ceiling from his bed, with both the covers over him and with Katt snuggled up against him, her right arm and head resting on his chest, with a strange smile on her face. No matter how hard he tried to relax and to not think, he just couldn't get to sleep. He adjusted his gaze towards Katt and wondered, as well as being glad of, how she managed to fall asleep after nearly getting blown out of space by Chaos warfighters and barely avoided being eviscerated by Cornerian cult groups. After having reached the safety of the Augustus, Falco cursed himself repeatedly for not having stuck by her during the assault, calling himself every dirty name in existence.

He turned himself so that he was now looking directly at her face. He smiled gently and lovingly stroked her right cheek, thinking how cute she looked when she slept. He moved his right hand to her shoulder and gently ran it down the length of her side towards her abdomen, instinctively caressing it gently. He silently thanked whatever god or deity allowed the both of them to have met many years ago, despite being amongst degrading and criminal conditions, and thanked him/her again for helping them claw their way out.

It was right there and then Falco made a resolve…

'Katt, I probably won't tell and you wouldn't want to listen anyway, but I promise you…I won't let you out of my sight again. And if anyone has any say in that, I'll damn well make sure the bastard eats his words.'

He spent the next couple of minutes watching her quietly, before moving onto her back and looking at the ceiling. He felt his eyes become heavy, before he joined his beloved (thought he wouldn't openly admit it) in sleep. Katt yawned and moved close towards him, still smiling gently in slumber.

----------

The engineering troupe consisting of two frogs, three Techpriests and one robot, stepped out of the elevator and into the lightly populated hangar area. The pilots had taken advantage of Jacques' orders for them and all support personnel to rest up in time for arrival on Venom in a few hours. A few of the support teams, however, volunteered to recondition and repair their Furies.

The troupe looked over towards the Arwings, each still suffering from battle-damage and was yet to be repaired, with Slippy knowing all to well this will cut into more of his free time. However, his spirits were brightened up when he saw the Bullfrog heavy starfighter situated to the left of the Arwings. It had being a pain in moving the Bullfrog from the Beltino Station to the Augustus, with Slippy reluctant in returning to the station and flying it back to the Eden fled amidst Imperial escort.

Led by the green, yellow-suited amphibian, the troupe stepped towards the Lylatian fighters past busy maintenance crew. Slippy smiled and fanned his hand over the Arwings as if introducing them, "And here before you by popular demand, the Arwing starfighters…courtesy of Cornerian Research and Development."

Amanda smiled with amusement, "How gentlemanly of you, Slippy."

Tyler tapped his vox synthesiser in a thinking manner, "Interesting. I would assume because of it's smaller size in comparison to the Imperium Fury starfighters it could accelerate faster in space, as it also appears to have half the ordinance?"

Slippy smirked with glee, "I wouldn't say half. In fact…"

He turned to ROB.

"…would you mind telling them the specs?"

ROB nodded, and communicated the following…

**Arwing ver. 03. The definitive Space Superior Fighter. Developed by Aerospace Dynamic.**

_Length: 18.5 sm (space meters). Width: 16 sm (space meters)  
__Height: 6.5 sm (space meters). Width (wings expanded): 21 sm (space meters)  
__Engine: NTD-FX1 Plasma w/ G-Diffuser. Maximum Speed: Mach 4.2 (in atmosphere)  
__Laser Cannon: Upgradable T&D-H1 Laser Cannons (x1). Smart Bomb Launcher_

Tyler turned to his two fellow Techpriests. They nodded in agreement, "Very…informative, machine-man."

He then stepped over the Arwing and ran a hand across it's hull, starting from the nosetipe, across the fuselage and towards the thrusters. His eyes were closed as if he was in deep thought, as he circled around the Arwing and then toward the Bullfrog. Slippy and Amanda watched him with much curiosity as he placed both his hands on the canopy of the heavy fighter.

"Specifications?"

Slippy scratched the back of his head, "Well…it features the same engine, but it's maximum speed it's Mach 2.2. It's weapons are a Cornerian Heavy Laser and a double Smart Bomb launcher."

He then appeared embarrassed as he removed his hand from the back of his head.

"Due to costs, we had to remove the laser-charge lock-on systems."

Tyler could be heard to exhale. He then took his hands off the canopy and turned towards the two amphibians and their robot.

"I never thought it would be possible," the Techpriest explained, "But I can hear the Machine Spirit encased within those two winged space gliders. Not a heretical one as in other alien machines, mind you…but the sprits that inhibit our machines as well."

Attempting to comprehend the religious aspects behind the thoughts and philosophies of the Adeptus Mechanicus and quickly decrypting Tyler's almost riddled dialogue, Slippy asked, "So…are you saying that Cornerian and Imperial technology are the same? At least when it come to space travel?"

Tyler lowered his head, hiding his eyes, "I am unsure. It is something that we should mull upon during our quieter moments."

Amanda nearly shrieked when she turned around and found Jacques Mortensen stepping towards the troupe from the elevator. Slippy spun around and smiled widely, immediately happy at seeing his only human friend. He noticed he was wearing only his silvery greaves, his torso replaced with a large shirt, which his Black Carapace can somewhat be seen around his neck.

"Good morning, Slippy Toad."

"Jacques," Slippy acknowledged.

"Techpriests."

"Mortensen."

Jacques then turned to Amanda, confusion clear on his face. Amanda was hesitant for a few seconds, looking over to Slippy for support. He smiled reassuringly.

"Er…Amanda," she answered, stretching her hand forward and exhaled softly when he shook it with his gloved left hand, "The future Mrs. Toad."

Now Jacques appeared curious, "You are his fiancee?"

Slippy smiled and stepped up to her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "Yep, we're to be hitched in about half-a-year. Assuming nothing goes wrong."

For once in his life he felt like playing on Slippy's awkwardness. He smiled, "So the both of you are taking the necessary precautions against the illicit lures of Slaanesh? How very wise of you."

Slippy and Toad turned bright red. Immediately Slippy held her closer to him protectively, "She's the…God of Sexual pleasure, right?"

"You mean 'he'," Jacques corrected, causing Slippy to shudder.

"Commander," Tyler asked, "Is there a specific reason you are?"

Jacques nodded, then look at Slippy with a frown. Slippy looked back for a few second, before realisation dawned on him.

"Ah crap!" he exclaimed panicked, "I forgot!"

He thrust his hand into the collar of his jumpsuit and pulled out the cognicator. He turned and handed it to Slippy, "Here. Would you mind analysing this?"

ROB handled the PDA-like device, "An Imperial storage device. I am compatible with such pieces of hardware. I will be able to decrypt the data just as we approach Venom."

"That'd be great," Slippy smiled again.

"It would be even more great if you do so quickly," Jacques added, "We are on approah to Venom as we speak."

ROB acknowledged, "Affirmative, Mortensen."

----------

Alexander stood stoically in the control room as he faced the holo-projector situated at the very front of the room, the fleet personnel and servitors working tirelessly in monitoring the Augustus and the other vessels in the Eden fleet. Many of the personnel wondered how the former Governor-Monitor of Kronus could keep up his seemingly tireless vigil while Jacques was allowed to retire to the sleeping quarters, but none how the spirit to inquire, out of fear of stepping out of line. Though they were no longer under Imperial jurisdiction and no Inquisitorial or Imperial Guard Commissariat authority, they still had the code of Imperial command and to not question their commanders. This applied mostly to the Kronus 1st Personnel, but the Eden folk also took this code to heart as well, especially towards Jacques.

One middle-aged Eden technician looked away from his console to quietly observe a visualgraph of what appeared to be a himself when he was seventeen hand in hand with a red-haired girl his age. Two other people in the graph who were his friends from long ago was a young-haired blond Eldar youth dressed in white wraithbone armour and a male lynx kemono dressed in a green jumper and jeans. He rubbed his thumb over the image, before turning it over and silently reading the one word handwritten on it with some drops of long-dried blood over it.

_Remember Us…Remember Eden…Remember Life…_

He smiled gently and traced a thumb over the girl, before his console blurred red and he answered the call.

"General!"

Alexander looked away from the projector, "Report."

"We are approaching the Venomian Air Defence Zone."

Alarms sounded off all around and the entire control room was bathed in red as people rushed about, attending to multiple stations. The holo-projector broadcasted a large image of the Death World Venom and smaller images of the Eden fleet approaching the south western area of the planet designated Area Six – the Venomian Air Defence Zone.

Colonel Vash stepped into the control room and saluted, "My lord. Reports are coming in of Cornerian and Venomian capital cruisers escorted by strike cruisers and several fighter squadrons mobilising towards us."

Alexander grumbled, "They would not leave the safety of their defence grid."

He then ordered out loud…

"Decelerate all ships. Keep outside their killzone."

All ships in the Eden fleet did just that, and all moved slowly through space so that all vessel were now floating side by side in the cold vacuum of space. The Imperial fleet decelerated as well, keeping behind the Eden fleet. Those on board Tau Explorer was now between the Eden and the Imperial fleet) were surprised at Eden's sudden, not to mention efficient, fleet formation. Aun'shi stood alongside the Tau Kor'el as they watched this unfold on the video screen on the bridge.

"What do you make of this, Honourable Ethereal?" the Kor'el queried.

Aun'shi folded his arms, "That we are in for more troubled times, indeed."

* * *

_So what do you think of at least two months of additional writer's block?_

_I'm thinking of giving this fic a small break, not only to concentrate on finding a part-time job for the first time, but also to start another story. Don't worry, I'm not going to abandon this fic, and I plan to make this next fic as short as possible. Deep and full of plot, but short nonetheless. _

_Thanks to all those who have reviewed, and who will review, this fic; and I hope when my interest comes back I'll recommence work on this as soon as humanely possible._


	17. Chapter 16a: Declaration of War

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_A/N: Recently I just got hold of __**The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer**__. After reading through it, I have come to one conclusion…the Imperium despises __**you **_in every way – _especially intellectually._

Sorry I'm once again late, probably because this was a long one to write. A two part chapter answering lots of questions including James McCloud and his history with the Ultramarines. Best to get all this out of the way and let the next few chapters be nothing but continuous action, dogfighting, holy war and righteous bloodshed.

16b will be up soon, but for now I appreciate your comments for this part until then. I know one way or another I need to work on my style and ways of storytelling, and I want you to point that out…constructively.

* * *

Chapter 16a – Declaration of War

* * *

_We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.  
_**_- Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the Former United States of America, 2nd Millennium_**

_Do you not see him, Chief Librarian, Master of the Sanctity? Do you not see how he has grown?_

_Aye, I do Lord Macragge. The lad has grown indeed. Thirteen years to this day and already he looks like a man._

_Yet, he looks so much like his mother._

_Is that the Ordo Xeno's and Inquisitor Kryptmann's doing, Brother Cassius?_

_Quite possibly. If they had not, he would have some of his father's features._

_Does he not have his father's eyes? How they shine brightly with the power he holds within him. How they a combination of his family's bloodline and the Emperor's divine force?_

_I see them, Chief Librarian. They make him appear…human. More human than I expected._

_From where he comes from, can we even consider him human? Can we even consider him worth saving? He is not an abomination?_

_His blood is as pure as any other human being, Cassius. His dormant energies purify him and redeem him before our Master. He is no abomination, though he is his father's son. Chief Librarian?_

_Lord Macragge?_

_Can you fully sense his power?_

_Aye. Though he appears to not know of it, in time he will come to realize it._

_And after what he has accomplished today, my two closest Brothers…that shall come to pass very soon._

_What of those he has grown up alongside? What will become of them, both human and xenogen?_

_They will perish, Cassius. His losses will make him stronger. It will strengthen his resolve._

_And what is that, Lord Macragge?_

_To redeem humanity before the universe, Chief Librarian._

--

It was springtime, possibly the best season on this part of the planet. The sun was high in the cloudless sky, the flowers were in bloom and full of fragrance, the fields and crops were plentiful and giving and the rivers were streaming clear and full of bounty. It was another day in paradise, and everyone knew that as they stepped out of the wooden and brick-made houses as they prepared for the midday hours of work. Most of the younger children were at play, kicking to one another an elastic red spheroid in a large field some distance away from the village. They laughed merrily as human, kemono, Eldar, Kroot and Tau kicked the ball to one another and tried to kick it within reach as long as possibly before they lost it to someone else.

A brown/green quilled Kroot hatchling with a translator vox strapped around his neck stopped to catch his breath, having ran non-stop for fifteen minutes, which was enough for someone his age. He looked around and saw that something was amiss. He scratched the quills on his forehead and cawed out in his native language.

"Where is David?" the Kroot's translator expressed himself in gothic.

The other children stopped playing and finally noticed that one of their own wasn't among them. The oldest of them, a black-haired thirteen-year-old human boy of African descent in a green linen shirt and pants put his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

"I dunno," the boy responded, "He said he'd come around once he's finished his chores for the morning. And if I know Fox-Man…"

He smirked.

"…his parents are slave drivers."

A short-blue haired Eldar girl clad in a body-hugging purple wraithbone suit shook her head and rubbed her chin, "That is highly illogical. His parents are always good to him and his brothers and sisters."

The boy, Kroot and some of the other children rolled their eyes at the Eldar's girl flaunting her supposed superior intellect towards them, a couple of which giggled slightly. The boy said, "Do you ever listen to me when I ask you to loosen up, Ares? Honestly."

The Kroot hatchling appeared to smile as he suddenly snatched the ball from the boy and begun bouncing it on one knee, "I should not worry about David. Seven always finds out where his lazy butt is."

Everyone else nodded, with one bespectacled skunk boy of twelve said in agreement, "Yeah. She's never gonna leave him alone. In fact…"

He pulled out a notepad and pen out of his pant's pockets and begun scribbling in it.

"…who says he'll agree to take her to the Spring Festive Dance tomorrow? All bets are in starting…now!"

Everyone present begun shouting out childishly and holding their arms up, crowding around the skunk boy. Except the Eldar girl known as Ares, who crossed her arms and shook her head in dissatisfaction. She turned her back on them and looked away from them over the village, appearing to be ashamed.

'And I promised father I would try to interact with the other village young,' she thought, 'I do not understand why we cannot return to the Craftworld.'

--

Just some yards away the young brown-haired boy of thirteen years sighed pleasantly as he lay down on the green grass by the river, staring lazily up at the leaves of the tree branches hanging above him, providing him with shade from the sun. Dressed in green singlet with brown sewn pants, he did absolutely nothing but think about what he was going to do tomorrow at the Spring Festival with his family and friends. His smile faded when he also thought about a certain someone expected to hassle him once again on his favorite day of the year.

It was probably just him but somehow he could feel her coming towards him right now, covertly sneaking through the bushes behind him. He sat up on his behind, hands firmly on the ground to support to himself. His head turned to the left side slightly and his eyes rolled to the back of his head, noticing the bushes rustle slightly.

Suddenly she smiled a big wolfy smile and leapt at him from out the bushes, a twelve-year old grey wolf in a shirt and skirt, and tackled David, her laughing out loud and the boy grunting in discomfort as they rolled around the ground. He then smiled, quickly grabbing her by the arms and pinning her roughly to the ground, eliciting a cry of surprise from her lip.

David shook his head in mock sadness and said, "You shouldn't really disturb someone when they're trying to soak up the sun in Springtime, Seven."

"Oh, phooey!" Seven pouted childishly, "It's that time of the year again. You know what that means?"

David rolled his eyes and got off her, standing up and stretching his neck slightly, "Can't you wait till tomorrow to bug me? Honestly…"

He looked down at her in annoyance, before looking over the river, the currents of the water strong enough to carry the full weight of a person down river.

"…can't a guy spend the last remaining minutes of morning flat on his back to enjoy the scenery?"

Seven sat up on her bottom and mock glared at David, "You really are a lazy jerk, Fox-Man."

"Don't call me that."

Seven smirked, "Why look at the scenery when you can enjoy it head on?"

"What are you…AH!"

Seven suddenly growled and tackled David, wrapping her arms around his torso and sending the both of them into the river, eliciting a cry of surprise from the boy and a loud splash as they fell into the water, the current immediately dragging them along. David felt like screaming in horror, eliciting another small cry of surprise, while Seven simply laughed out loud.

"What's the matter?" Seven smirked as their heads were above water as they gently went with the flow, "Davy don't like water, huh?"

Now David was annoyed, "Get real!"

--

Ares head jerked upwards as she thought she heard someone feminine laugh and someone masculine gasp, followed by a loud splash into a river.

"Hey, what's up?" the skunk boy asked her, patting her on the shoulder, "Hear Seven blindside David again?"

She frowned, not liking the fact the everyone was crowding around her, "You would like that, wouldn't you Pep?"

"Yeah, we would," the skunk boy known as Pep responded, "Let it out already?"

"Yes."

Everyone around the Eldar girl broke out into laughter, further adding to her annoyance.

--

David spluttered and coughed out water as he dragged himself out of the river and onto dry land after being carried by the torrents a few yards away from his place under the tree. He ran a hand through his hair and moaned in frustration, feeling bits of dirt and leaves embedded in it. Seven was sitting nearby and giggled as he begun picking crap out of his hair, muttering incomprehensibly as he did so. He noticed her looking at him…

"That wasn't funny, Seven."

"Heh, which part wasn't? Me spear-tackling you into the river? Getting your clothes wet? Or is it…hey!"

She noticed that David was now staring past her, towards something that was shining past the bushes that led further into the community's massive cornfields. He got up onto his feet and ran another hand through his hair, rinsing as much moisture he could from it. He then turned to Seven and offered his hand, helping her to her feet as well. He pointed to the direction of the shining.

Seven's was aghast, "What's that?"

David shook his head, "I have no idea."

Seven smiled, "You wanna check it out?"

He frowned, "Do you always have to be so impul…HEY!"

Seven grabbed him by the hand and inexplicably wandered into the forest with him in tow, her pulling so hard that he was almost hopping along on one leg. She soon contained her excitement and he was able to walk normally, and even then she refused to let go of David's hand, still grinning. The boy on the other hand blushed.

After trudging through the corn crops for more than a minute, what they saw would break the heart of all the community's crop growers. They stood before a large crop imprint shaped like the Imperial Double Eagle aquilae, and in the centre of it was a large two-handed power sword with a gold hilt and a silver blade. But what caught their eye was that it was embedded what looks like a large grey rock.

After getting past her initial shock, Seven asked, "You don't suppose it fell from the sky, right David?"

The boy shook his head, "A rock that size? We would have _felt_ it hit the ground."

"I suppose."

She then nearly jumped when she felt him squeeze her hand gently, causing her to turn blush. David appeared to frown, then begun walking over towards the centre of the Imperial 'crop circle' and the sword embedded in rock, Seven finding herself unwillingly following him this time, and this made her somehow uncomfortable.

They stood before the large rock, where David let go of her hand to shield his eyes from the sun bearing down on them. He then reached his hand in order to touch the blade…

"STAY YOUR HAND!"

…then cringed and felt his blood chill, finding himself frozen in place as a rough, near holy tone of voice. Seven spun around and would have screamed in fright if her throat hadn't clinched itself with fright. She instead prodded David's backside and he looked behind, and he too would have cried out if he could. Instead his eyes widened at the sight before him.

A eight-foot Space Marine Chaplain in black-coloured power armour with a synthetic right eye apparatus and green laurel on his head stood behind them, armed with a Crozius Arcanum Power Mace in his right hand and a flame-spewing melta-gun in his left. He appeared to smile at the two youngsters, who edged themselves closer to the rock and as far away as they could from the Space Marine.

"Please, younglings," the Chaplain said, "I do not wish to harm you…though one of you is a non-human, I suppose I can let that pass."

David's eyes widened at his somewhat friendly gesture. He stepped forward, making sure to keep his friend Seven right behind him. He gulped, feeling scared about those five-hour school lessons every day every second week. Every History lesson always taught them that the Space Marines of the oppressive fascist Imperium of Man were as honourable as they were bloodthirsty, with the Ultramarines chapter somewhat an exception as they had held back the Tyranids from the system which Eden was a part of. He silently prayed that the Marine before him was a Ultramarine.

David gulped and stepped forward, "What…what do you want?"

The Chaplain walked over towards him, David compelling himself to stand his ground. He looked up to meet the Chaplain's eyes as he stood before him – the Space Marine towering over the frail looking boy.

"I have come to reclaim what belongs to my Chapter, young man," the Chaplain replied, "I have flown all the way from Ultramar itself in search of this holy relic and now that I have found it, I will require your assistance badly to help me bring it home."

"Huh?" David looked both ways of his himself as he responded, "Me?"

The Chaplain appeared stern, "Yes, you. I seek those worthy of wielding the blade of the Emperor, and should I find him he and his people shall receive the protection and goodwill of Macragge. Should he fail, however, and his life, his people and his world are forfeit."

"W…worthy?" David stuttered slightly, feeling scared, "Of…of your Emperor?"

The Chaplain nodded, "Of course. Surely humanity on this world know of, and worships, the name of the Emperor…despite resenting the very Imperium he sacrificed himself to forge."

The Chaplain gave a weary glance to Seven, deliberately excluding her and her race from the mere thought of worshipping the Emperor. David noticed that and nodded, "Ye…yeah of course. But I…I never thought the Immortal Emperor would notice me."

"I am sure He will find you worthy if you pull the sword from the rock and present it to me. And I will find it in my heart to spare this xeno-infested rock from judgement."

"WHAT?!"

"You heard me. I, Cassius, Master of Sanctity, command you to pull the sword from the rock…thereby making you worthy of the Emperor's blessing, and sparing your world from Holy Fire, made to cleanse those unworthy of service to him."

David slumped his posture as he looked at him, wrecked with fright as he tried to keep a straight face. He then glanced over at the rock and swore he could see light shining down exclusively on it. He then somehow felt his bravery and resolve return to him, knowing that the fate of the entire world rested on his shoulders. He then turned to the Chaplain known as Cassius and nodded.

"Alright. I'll do it. Then you'll leave us alone."

"You have the word of Gulliman himself, young one."

He stepped towards the rock and stretched his arms upwards, grabbing hold of it and pulling himself up onto it. He stood above it and wrapped his hands around the golden hilt. Seven stepped away to give him room and marvelled of how the light shine down on him, almost from the heavens.

"Like a hero from the old legends from Terra," she whispered to herself, glad that she was still alive and that the Ultramarine Chaplain appeared to tolerate being in the presence of non-humans.

Cassius and Seven watched closely from both sides as David gripped the hilt of the sword and pulled with all his might, gritting his teeth (gently, not enough to crack them) and somehow had the desire to prove himself to the Space Marine Chaplain. Though he wanted nothing to do with the Angels of Death he felt compelled to be judged worthy by them, so they wouldn't seem him as weak and add another tally to the Imperial hypocrisy.

Seven pressed his index fingers together anxiously, eyes beginning to waver, knowing the future of their planet rested on the strength of her best friend.

'C'mon Davy,' she thought to herself, 'Make that holy man eat his words.'

He soon begun to struggle, feeling like the blade was being sunk deeper into the stone. After about a minute he felt himself give and let go, slumping forward and using the sword as leverage so he wanted topple over with exhaustion. Seven looked as if she was going to panic, while Cassius appeared disappointed.

The Chaplain crossed his arms, "Tch tch tch, David. You disappoint me…"

David gasped lightly, remembering the Chaplain's ultimatum earlier. He felt his blood run cold.

Cassius sighed, as if to mock David, "I guess Ultramar will not judge this planet and it's heretical populace worthy of it's discretion after all."

David heard Seven choke with shock at hearing that. As she begun to sob he felt his heart tear itself in two, and he felt many things after that: The boiling of his blood, the rapid beating of his now miraculously sewn back together heart and his adrenalin pumping through his system. But most of all he felt the desire to take that sword and shove it through that techno-barbarian who had threatened to kill him, his family, his friends and more or less the entire planet.

He felt his eyes twitch as he angrily stared at the Ultramarine, hand wrapping themselves around the sword's hilt.

"I'll make you eat those words, Space Marine!" he exclaimed out loud, "I'll show you!"

And with all his might he pulled as hard as he could, bringing his feet up onto the stone and using them as leverage as he pulled, and pulled hard. Seven eyes widened as he struggled to get the sword embedded in the rock, a seemingly impossible feat. Cassius smiled; happy he was able to serve as both inspiration and ultimatum for the Chapter's hopes and dreams.

But what he didn't count on was David actually tearing the sword out from the rock, in the process splitting the stone in half, scattering pieces of it in the air and causing Cassius to cover his face. Not because of the bits of stone scattered everywhere but because the sword was now shining brightly as something begun feeding it power. David cried out in surprised as he was sent flying backwards into the air and Seven watched in amazement as he flipped in the air as if he was about to land on his feet. But his landing wasn't as graceful and instead he landed flat on his back, the sword landing right next to his face and stuck into the ground, it's shine beginning to fade.

Cassius watched as Seven rushed to his side…

"DAVID!"

…and tried to not feel disgusted as the kemono fell to her knees and tried to wake David from his gaze, her appearing affectionate to the human as she felt his cheek soothingly, and almost recoiled away as it felt like she was burnt. David opened his eyes and found Seven smiling down at him with relief.

"Dave!" she exclaimed joyously, "You're alright."

He then glanced over at the sword at the right side of his face, then over at the approaching Ultramarine Chaplain. He moved his hands to her shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes, causing her smile to fade as he shook his head solemnly. He then glared and dug his fingers into her shoulders, before gently despotising her aside and leapt back up onto his feet.

He then grabbed the heavy sword by the hilt with both hands and pulled it out of the ground, and shakily because of the weight he pointed it towards the Chaplain, ferocity overcoming the boy as he now sought to defend himself, his best friend and the entire planet. Cassius saw David stand in front of Seven, keeping himself between her and himself.

'Hmm…' Cassius pondered as he stood his ground, his power mace to his side, 'His willingness to protect that beastgirl xenogen…this planet is slowly beginning to contaminate his mind. Time to see if he is truly worth our time…'

"Hey!" David cried with contempt, "What are you doing?"

"Pardon, David?"

"You said if I pulled the sword of the rock that would prove there is one worthy human on this, and I quote, 'xeno infested rock.'," David reminded him, the word xeno somehow leaving a bad taste in his mouth, "Well…'

He waved the sword around with both hands.'

"Here's the sword in my hands. Now leave us alone!"

Cassius just looked at him for a few seconds, before he smiled and gripped his Crozius Arcanum, lifting it off the ground and holding with both hands. David's eyes widened while Seven gripped hold of him by the shoulders and trying to hide herself behind him, frightened.

"Wha…what are you…?"

"REPENT SINNER AS YOU FEEL THE EMPEROR'S WRATH!"

Cassius charged the couple, gripping his mace with one hand that sailed behind him as he charged. Thinking fast through his instinctive yell of terror he pushed Seven clear of Cassius just as he brought his power mace down with both hands, both of which landed roughly and painfully on their shoulders as the mace made impact with the ground, causing a massive crack to appear…

--

…and Ares senses to go off at the same time. She froze in her place, fright crossing over her face.

"Er…Ares?" the lead boy asked, eyes wide.

"Did…did you hear that?" Ares cried, "Those two words bellowed into the air _Emperor's Wrath_?"

All within earshot of Ares all felt themselves stood still in fear, with Pep shaking uncontrollably (mostly I his legs), the lead boy clasping his hands together which begun to fidget with nervousness, but the Kroot hatchling sprung into action.

"We must alert the rest of our Kindred immediately!" he cackled and growled, his vox translator translating almost with difficulty, "Our first hunt shall soon begin!"

He then grabbed the ball and darted off towards the village, the other kids all looking at one another.

"HEY! WAIT UP HA'KHA!" the lead boy yelled after him, then called out to the others, "C'mon!"

"Right behind you, Nisan!" Pep cried.

--

David quickly got up and gripped the heavy blade in his delicate hands, shakily raising it. He gripped it tightly in his hands as Cassius waved his mace around and prepared to strike again. Cassius smiled, before charging him, yelling out…

"SWING YOUR BLADE, MAN-BOY!"

…and swung his mace. David ducked to avoid it, then he swung his sword overarm and it made contact with Cassius' face, slicing him between the eyes and splitting his nose slightly. The Chaplain continued to smile, when he then looked down to find David on one knee, head bowed and eyes on the ground, his sword to raised above his head. Hot tears pricked his eyes and fell from his face as he visibly shivered with fright, never having swung a power sword in all his life.

Cassius felt his face. The wound wasn't too deep, and his nose could be repaired quite easily. What really intrigued him was that he could act like a child one second, become defiant the next, then another mere amount of seconds later he would revert back to being the child he is. But as with most of all the other recruits and Neophytes to enter the ranks of the Adeptus Astartes, it will all pass in time.

"Well…despite your reluctance to wield a blade of the Emperor, you do indeed have the strength of will to do so," Cassius commented, then frowned, "Even if it is to the defence of non-humans."

David lowered his blade and looked up towards Chaplain, eyes quivering, "W…why are you doing…this?"

Just as sudden as he had appeared, Chaplain Cassius had disappeared, leaving only a faint trace of blood on the corn at their feet. He looked over across at Seven, who eyes widened with additional bewilderment.

'What happened?' David mouthed towards her.

Seven shook her head gently, "He…he disappeared. As if he teleported…"

David didn't want to deal with any of this any more, and so compelled himself to pass out. Seven was immediately at his side and…

"Anyone over there?"

…just as Eden Planetary Defence Force soldiers rustled through the cornfield from all sides towards them, the flak-armoured troops armed with Tau pulse rifles. The sergeant was startled at the sight of seeing David unconscious and clutching an Imperial power sword to himself.

"What's this?" the sergeant cried at Seven, "Where did this meteorite come form?"

Seven laid David's head on her lap as she faced the PDF Sergeant, responding softly, "I have no idea."

--

**25 Years Later  
The Battle Barge 'Emperor Incarnatus', Ultramarines Chapter of the Space Marines**

From everything that Cassius told him that evening Calgar could easily picture that whole thing happening, as if it were a film. And it was then that an innocent youth that fought only to protect his xeno friend at the cost of his fragility. That had put him on the road to which he was being shaped into the warrior that he was today. It was his first fifteen years on Eden that also shaped him up to become a powerful, determined yet very complicated and somewhat confused servant of the Emperor, seeing no difference between human and non-human, and that they all must be protected at all costs.

Lord Macragge, we are on approach to Venom and the Air Defence Zones. Their weapons are primed, armed and are aimed at the fleet. Reducing speed…

In the massive armoury on board the Emperor Incarnatus, Lord Calgar sighed as he moved his armoured mechanical left hand to scratch his left eye. He opened them to glance at the Gauntlets of Ultramar being sealed into their protective case by three of the Chapter's serfs, or servants as they themselves preferred. He was clad in his gold-studded Artificer Armour and was accompanied by his five loyal Honour Guards; each clad in equally impressive golden-decorated ornate power armour and helmets.

Cassius and Tigerius stood nearby, with the Librarian being the first to speak, "My Lord, is it wise to deny yourself protection from the Cornerians should we be able to communicate with them in person and they turn foul on us?"

Calgar turned to him, "Chief Librarian, I know a some of these so-called 'furries', and they hold high-rank. With the current situation with Chaos, and our own suppressive numbers, they would not dear point their blaster rifles our way."

Cassius snorted lightly, "I suppose our mission to cleanse the kemono animae is now void, as they now prove to be harmless enough."

The Lord Macragge nodded, "I did not know why I let the Gauntlets out of their case in the first place. Truly, the Lylatian dogs and foxes have proven themselves more co-operative and somewhat trustworthy than other xeno species so far encountered."

"Yes, but even with the Kronus 1st, the Cadian 412th, and possibly the entire Lylatian military, we will be desperately outmatched by every Chaos Legion now at the Imperium's back door," Tigerius explained.

The Chaplain then cleared his throat.

"Would it be wise to request reinforcements from one of the Reserve Companies, or even a full battle-group consisting of several Imperial Guard regiments, Space Marine companies and Inquisitorial forces down from the Ordo Malleus and Ordo Hereticus? They could be here in approximately…two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Calgar questioned.

"One week for our message to reach Ultramar, Pacificus Segmentum Command and the Departmento Munitorum on Terra, and another for reinforcements to enter and exit Warp space in arriving here," Cassius added.

"And during those two bothersome two weeks we would have to hold out here," Calgar responded gruffly, "Which is why I am urging all Space Marine squads to rely on Protocol 18 – Defence. Whilst our initial battle plans will be discussed in full detail with Sturnn, Mortensen and Pepper, what I can tell you know is…"

He narrowed his eyes.

"…we will hold our ground against this daemon scum until either reinforcements come, or a miracle happens."

Tigerius was intrigued, "A miracle? Shall I ask what that may be?"

Before Calgar could respond his vox beeped.

My Lord Macragge. We are in communication range of the Venom Air Defence Zone. You are needed in the com room.

The Chapter-Master glanced over at Tigerius as he and his Honour Guard headed for the exit, "You should ask me another time, Chief Librarian."

Tigerius eyed Cassius questioningly, who glanced over at the exiting form of Calgar. He frowned, before he followed his master out of the room, the Chaplain following suit. Cassius then thought to himself, remembering seeing that other human in the trenchcoat over Tau armour and lapping after that Tau Ethereal.

'I could have sworn I have seen him as well somewhere?' he thought sinisterly, 'Damnation, everyone seems familiar these da…?'

He stopped when his remaining eye widened.

'Borealis – Jakob the 'Ghost'.'

--

_To: __Departmento Munitorum and Pacificus Segumentum Command_

_From: Cadian 412__th__ Regiment of the Imperial Guard, Part of the Lylatian Battlegroup_

_Subject: Mobilisation of Immediate Reinforcement to Lylat System. Chaos Invasion of Segmentum Pacificus Imminent._

_**Thought for the Day**__: Never forget, Never forgive._

_Our original mission to apprehend the heretical Grey Knight known as Jacques Mortensen has now taken a horrifying turn. We have evidence that the Forces of Chaos are operating in the Lylat System once again, having managed to use the local populace's technology as a back doorway to the Imperium, approximately one million light years away from Segmentum Pacificus. As of right now, legions of Traitor Marines are advancing through the system and we have reason to believe that the heretic known as Abaddon is launching another crusade in the wake of his failed thirteenth attempt on the Cadian Gate months ago._

_By the time you receive this message we would have either been destroyed by the combined forces of the entire Traitor Legions and Cults under Abaddon's command, or are desperately still holding out. We request, no, demand that Segmentum's Solar and Pacificus mobilise and send reinforcements to keep them out of our galaxy. We demand that the Inquisition itself mobilise all three of it's orders as well as significant numbers of Imperial Guard and Adeptus Astartes._

_We believe that this is the darkest year for the Imperium has finally come, and it is only months away from the beginning of the 42__nd__ Millennium._

_Your servant,_

_Sturnn_

"That will do."

The Scribe-Skull clicked and whirred as it finished writing on a piece of parchment positioned at the end of the table in the briefing room. Hours after their meeting with their alien 'allies' Sturnn, Plymouth, Nero and the senior Cadian officers hadn't budged from their seats, electing to instead discuss more relevant news including the need for reinforcements. They had now being joined by many of Nero's own naval officers, not even filling up the rather large room and table.

_I estimate that it shall take one week for this message to reach Cadia and Holy Terra simultaneously, _

_Admiral, _a withered voice sounded off over the vox channel. _And since the highest command will consider this top priority and will not waste a single day in making decisions, the reinforcements will arrive here via the Warp in another week._

"Thank you Astropath Vakarian," Nero responded to the vox, "Send the message immediatly."

Admiral then addressed both Sturnn and Plymouth, the Commissar still standing by Sturnn's seat and the General appearing more than exasperated.

"I'm no Psyker, Admiral," Sturnn said, "But I know what you're thinking. We really do have to rely on the Lylatians to hold the line until the reinforcements. And after that…they won't matter."

Admiral was smug as he twiddled his fingers. "The combined forces of the Emperor will make quick work of both Chaos and Lylat. The Imperium was meant to stretch beyond the borders of our galaxy, and we will start on…"

"Spare me, Nero," Sturnn held out a flat palm in protest, "We should be thankful we can sense the Emperor's divine light all the way here in the first place. Any further from Segmentum Pacificus and we'd be lost forever."

He then turned and looked up at Plymouth.

"And now, back to you Commissar."

The plump political officer didn't appear amused, "I told you everything I know about Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander, his campaign and banishment from Kronus and what the Ministorum fabricated about the strength of his fleet. They were Kronus' own ships, not supplied by the Cadian 301st."

Sturnn nodded and said, "The propaganda has got a lot to answer for regarding Alexander's loyalty to the Emperor, and if Eden was truly a Chaos experiment with mixing humans with xeno. I never though they would lie about something like that."

One senior officer spoke up, "My Lord, what will do once we reach Venom? We cannot be expected to ally with the aliens? The reinforcements in two weeks time will deem us heretical if we do so."

"Command did not call us heretical when we allied with the Eldar back on Lorn V, major," Sturnn reminded him, "Yet I was the one who paid for it."

"So what do we say once they arrive, sir?"

"We will hand control of this operation over to them," the General continued, "And we will state that this time allying with non-humans would have paid off with the death of Warmaster Abaddon and the total destruction of the Traitor Marine Legions once and for all."

"If I may be so bold to ask, General Sturnn," Plymouth asked, "What should be our battle-plans concerning taking and holding whatever worlds Chaos has not controlled yet in the system?"

Sturnn crossed his arms and stated unevenly, "That…we will put off until we meet next with Calgar and whatever still holds authority over the Lylatian forces."

The vox communication system sounded off again, the following words drawing complete silence and some anxiety from the officers present.

_Lord Admiral, we are approaching the Venom Air Defence Zone. Lord Macragge has requested we offer parlay towards the combined Cornerian and Venomians fleets._

"Venomian!" Nero exclaimed, "_They_ are still here?"

_Er…yes, Lord Admiral._

"Very well. We will attempt communication. Signal the fleet to stand by."

_Acknowledged, lord._

Sturnn stood up from his seat, followed by his Cadian officers, "Now is the time to put the furries to proper use, gentlemen."

Nero nodded as Sturnn and his officers left the board room for the communications chamber. He then addressed his own officers, "Return to your posts. This meeting is adjourned."

--

Fox yawned and rubbed his eyes as he heard the vox caster's beeps blare throughout the room.

"Ah, still sleepy," he moaned tiredly to himself, before reaching over towards the bedside vox and pressing the red button down, "Yeah?"

_Fox, _Jacques spoke, _You best direct yourself to communications. We are approaching the Venomian defence zone, and their weapons are the first that are going to greet us._

Surprised that those words caused him to be now fully awake, Fox pulled the covers off him and reached for his pants, "I'll be right there! Promise!"

He put both feet through the legs of his pants, then threw on his green shirt and white vest, quickly making a mental note to change his now stinking clothes the second he stepped back on the Great Fox II. He stank of both blood and perspiration and believed a shower wouldn't hurt as well…also once he was back on the Great Fox, he didn't feel comfortable relying on human ways of cleansing one's self.

He stepped out of his room to find two naval armsmen waiting for him.

"McCloud," they greeted with a salute, "We're here to escort you to the communications centre along with the rest of your crew."

Fox returned the salute, before he looked over left armsman's shoulder and saw the rest of his crew, standing there questioningly in the hallway. Falco appeared annoyed as he directed it toward another armsmen standing before him. Krystal however appeared calm, though she was eyeing the autopistol sidearms they had holstered to their sides.

"Hey!" Falco exclaimed, keeping Katt close to him, "We don't need to be babysat. We can easily find…"

One of the armsmen rolled his eyes, "Governor-Militant Alexander has insisted you be directed to communications as quick, and if need be as painlessly, as possible. And seeing how you are prone to getting lost on board Imperial vessels, I believe that is in order."

That revelation kept Falco's tongue behind his beak. Fox shrugged, "Fine with me. Lead the way."

--

It was clear to most Imperial scholars that the planet Venom could be classified as a Death World besides Titania. Centuries of blatant neglect from the technological Venomian simians and their reptilian allies through industrialisation had scorched the once beautiful blue sky and poisoned the waters, turning them into acid that could chew through almost any metal that did not have an attached shield. For hundreds of years the people found themselves living below the ground or insides hills and mountains, with massive communities sprawling all over below the surface. These were all connected to each other, and were supported by numerous military installations, which were used during the First Lylat War when the exiled Cornerian scientist known as Andross had united the warring simian clans through technological prowess and knowledge.

The planet once thought to have been abandoned by it's simian masters were now the home of possibly millions of kemono refugees, all squeezed together underground living within the tunnels and the communities, forcing them to share with whatever Venomians still lived on the planet. Thousands and thousands more worth of military personnel and technology also hunkered down, each one biding his or her time in getting ready to take back Lylat.

Within one of the largest of these communities situated inside a large rock mountain and stretching downwards below the surface were all the survivors of Corneria, and the headquarters of whatever is left of the Cornerian Military, which is to say about 50,000 strong. All the best military strategists and officials were all at once contemplating and concocting plans in defending what planets were yet to be invaded by the Chaos Marines and their Chaos cult supporters.

Technicians, aides, officers and advisers frequented deep within command control, with General Peppy Hare besides his top officers stood before a massive video screen transmitting smaller screens of all the hotspots and conflict zones in Lylat. On one screen he saw Black Legion Chaos Marine marching through the ruined streets of Corneria city, on another screen there were Cornerian soldiers on some unidentified wasteland world defending against kemono and skinhead human cultists. And on another were daemons of varying shapes and sizes tearing up a down Cornerian frigate.

Peppy ran a hand over his head fur, "MacBeth?"

A raccoon colonel beside him received a clipboard from his aide nearby, "Reports say that the defences orbiting the Western Hemisphere have been destroyed. Several landing craft have managed to land and occupy one of our larger bases. Commander O'Reilly is ordering all standing ground forces to increase defences on all sides."

"Fortuna?"

"Defences have completely fallen. Nearly every civilian centre and military installation have been overrun. But so far, reports of civilian casualties have been minimal at best."

"Katina?"

"Orbital defences are still holding out, but a taking a pounding."

Peppy nodded, absorbing all that data. He then asked, "Fichina?"

"Still no contact."

Peppy sighed and gripped some his own head fur, trying to hold back his worry and anxiety. He said softly, "Lucy."

"Sir? If I may ask…what is our next course of action?"

Peppy had no idea how to answer that. If the Imperium had attacked from the outside rather then the Forces of Chaos engaging from within, he may have been able to formulate a clear, tactical assessment. With the enemy moving in from all sides and attacking nearly every point they held, the chances of a successful counterattack with the numbers they have was nigh impossible.

"GENERAL!"

All heads spun towards a panicked male stag officer turning towards them away from the orbital control console.

"Report!" Peppy ordered.

"Nineteen Imperial vessels are approaching the Venomian orbital defence zones! All guns are now charged and ready to fire!"

"Oh dear God," Peppy groaned silently. When he believed he could formulate a battle plan against the Imperium, he didn't mean right now with Chaos' foul breath already down their necks. He regained his composure and asked, "What are their classes and designations?"

"Hold on, sir!" the officer responded, looking over the shoulder of the technician. He then said, "We're also detecting a Tau cruiser…"

Peppy was now surprised, 'Tau?'

"…and…the Great Fox?" the stag officer now exclaimed, confused.

Now Peppy couldn't help but feel overjoyed amidst the calamity of the situation. He said almost aloud, "Fox? He…he survived after all?"

The raccoon officer was now suspicious, evident by his queered eyebrows, "And playing some angle. He's completely surrounded by the Imperium."

Peppy shook his head and stepped over towards the communications officer at his console, "Contact the defence zone! Tell them to hold their fire!"

--

Half a mile away from the planet's atmosphere, the large Imperial fleet alongside Eden, the Tau and Star Fox hovered there before the dozens of Cornerian and Venomian capital ships and space defence guns' weapons primed at them. The Imperial lances and the Emperor-class Pacifier's might Nova Cannon ready and able to fire and though the Imperial ships may be thousands of years hold and seemingly outdated, they were able to tear up half the combined Venomian defences forces before their counterattack would force them to withdraw. As the defence cannons were capable of punching hold through their iron hulls.

From the lead Venomian cruiser the gorilla in charge of the Air Defence Zone knew that for a fact as he sat in his command seat and stared hatefully at the massive line of Imperium starships lining up side by side just outside the kill zone.

He shook his head slowly, "So the dogs couldn't hold the fucking skinnies back so they drag them all the way here."

A smaller ape officer looked up at him and almost gasped, "C…Colonel Dids, sir? Those aren't the ships described by General Hare. Those are Imperium craft, sir…plus one identified cruiser and the Great Fox."

"Star Fox?" Colonel Dids sneered, "Three times as worse as the Imperium."

He then suddenly barked out loud.

"Are they in the killzone yet? Report!"

"Sir!" another Venomian exclaimed, "New orders from General Hare. We have to stand down!"

Dids was angry, "We don't take orders from the dogs."

The Venomian technician cleared his throat and added, "The Praetor demands you follow orders, sir."

Dids gritted his teeth as he faced the technician at the back, before he inhaled gently and tried to calm down. He nodded and ordered, "Power down all weapon systems, and hope that the true heir to the Emperor Andross knows what he's doing."

"Sir," the technician continued, "We're detected live transmission feed from Central HQ broadcasting towards the Imperial Fleets. Three ships have intercepted it, identifying itself as the Augustus, the Pacifier and the Infinity."

"Can we intercept and listen in?"

"We can, sir."

"Do it."

--

The helmsmen all waited outside as Fox and his crew stepped through the door into the communications room, which in itself also of gothic décor with communication equipment, interface and lines appearing thousands of years old and outdated. Smaller video screens dotted all the walls, and servi-skull hologram projectors hung from the ceiling on stand by. Slippy, Jacques, Alexander and Vash were waiting for them on a separate platform away from the door, which was connected by a small bridge. Alexander was seated while the Grey Knight and carapace-armoured colonel opted to stand beside him.

Falco looked around himself, "Heh…reminds me of my great-great-great grandfather in the Falconian airforce."

Fox looked curiously at the technology before him. He asked, "I have to ask you. Does all your technology look so…gothic?"

"Sorry McCloud," Vash spoke, "Science and Technology officially stopped the moment the Emperor ascended. But at least we don't need to use any Psykers as we've got Mortensen here to broadcast our signal."

"That is true," Jacques said.

Vash then turned to the Governor-Militant and saluted.

"We are ready to begin communication, my lord."

Alexander then, then addressed Fox and crew, "You should probably stand here if you want to be part of the conversation."

Fox, Falco, Katt and Krystal stepped forward across onto the platform, each feelings the servi-skull looking down on them, making them all the more uncomfortable.

"Right on schedule," Alexander looked at one of screens which mentioned _Shared Communications, _"The Infinity and the Pacifier are being hailed as well."

"Right," Fox nodded, "Let's hope the Imperials can keep their xenophobia to themselves."

--

O'Shovah trailed through the Infinity under escort by one Farsight Fire Warrior and one T'au Fire Warrior, to the left and right of his respectively. He appeared dignified and smug as he passed by the several Earth Caste workers still performing maintenance on the ship. He shook his head gently, remembering how easy it was for him and his men to dispatch their share of Chaos Marines that had entered his quarters.

He had practically surprised all three of them. They had teleported into his quarters while he was still practicing drill, and he didn't waste a second in grabbing his Dawn Blade off his battlesuit. Despite his perceived advanced age he impaled one flamer equipped Marine, before having pulled the blade out and swung it, slicing the head off another Marine. His disciples quickly set upon the last Night Lord Marine, an Aspiring Champion. The Aspirant managed to kill two of them, before he met his end by a combination of plasma fire and blade.

He stepped into the communications room, finding Aun'shi and a fair number of the Water Caste waiting for him. They were all standing around a holograph projector, with Aun'shi's back turned to the doorway. O'Shovah smirked and stepped inside, his escorts guarding the door from both sides.

Aun'shi turned around, "So you decided to join us, O'Shovah."

The renegade Commander still looked smug, "This concerns the Farsight Enclaves as much as T'au itself. Especially now we know that the spawn of James McCloud is involved."

Aun'shi tapped his staff on the ground a couple of times, drawing all the Water Caste diplomat's attention. "I would be happy if his father was here. Hopefully he will be waiting for us on the other end of that hologram-projector. A man of his exceptional skill and valour would no doubt have ascertained high rank in Lylat after thirty-eight years."

O'Shovah tapped his forehead, still smiling, "No doubt he is still thinking about dedicating his services to the Greater Good. If it has taken him three decades for him to decide, then so be it."

--

Sturnn, Plymouth and Nero were present in the Pacifier's communications room, with several Adeptus Mechanicus communication specialists and technicians were wired into their equipment and machinery, ready to begin broadcasting their vox signal across the void of space, through the atmosphere of Venom and into some alien communicator equipment.

"General, Admiral," Plymouth begun, looking smarter then usual when he wore his greatcoat, "What are we to say to the Cornerian commander-in-chief regarding this unholy alliance we are about to seek.?"

"Just leave the talking to me, Lord Commissar," Sturnn simply responded, "No mentioning of extermination, purge or cleansing anywhere near them. It tends to make them nervous."

Nero glared with contempt at this predicament, 'If Sturnn is good at anything it's becoming bedfellows with xenos and letting them roll over him.'

--

Peppy stood alone in the communication centre, standing on a circular glowing holo-platform, which would broadcast his image towards the ships miles away from Venom's surface and just in front of the Venomian Air Defence Zone. He prayed silently that his meeting with the Imperium would not go wrong in any way, that his former team isn't hurt in any way, and the Tau would continue to stick to their ideals.

He removed his hat and straightened his head fur. He then muttered as he replaced his cap on his head, "Here goes everything."

The vid screen before him generated a three-way image of the interiors of the communication room belonging to the Infinity, the Augustus and the Pacifier. On the Augustus, Fox, Slippy, Amanda and Krystal immediately beamed upon seeing Peppy's face. Falco appeared amused, Katt smiled lightly, and the humans on screen – Jacques, Alexander and Vash – appeared emotionless. Jacques however soon dropped his current façade in favour of a light smile.

On the Pacifier, all Imperials in view all appeared hard faced, especially in the case of the man in a naval uniform that appeared to be visibly disgusted at the sight of him. The grey-haired man standing in front appeared to be the leader, judging from his uniform and his medals, and the elderly man in the scarlet greatcoat and hat looked to be the Regimental Lord Commissar.

On another screen was the Ultramarines Calgar, Cassius and Tigerius, looking as determined and disciplined as a good Space Marine should.

On the final screen were two blueskinned Tau, whom were very familiar to him. O'Shovah smiled and stated, _Airman Hare_.

"That's _General_ Hare, Commander Farsight," Peppy corrected with slight, and mock, ire.

_General Hare, this is Sturnn of the Cadian 412__th__ Regiment of the Imperial Guard, Sturnn begun, Behind me is Lord Admiral Dylanis Horatio Nero and Regimental Commissar Rowan Plymouth_. _Once again, fate as backed us all into the corner._

"So I've noticed," Peppy said, "Just when we thought that all the Daemon Gates had been destroyed, Chaos once again enters through the back door. And this time, I'm not so sure how we're going to survive this."

_I think we'll stand a better chance if we pool our __**everything **__together, sir_, Fox frowned at calling him that, though it was out of respect, _Weapons, manpower, armour, __**everything**__._

Peppy wiggled his nose a bit in discomfort and asked, "Are you suggesting an alliance, McCloud? The Kemono/Human Agreement ended after Evergreen."

And the Administratum is willing to renegotiate terms if you will help us keep the heretical Space Marines and their daemonic allies out of our galaxy, Sturnn continued, speaking as reasonably and formally as he could, At this moment the Cadian 412th and the Imperial Navy under Admiral Nero is willing discuss terms of a temporary alliance until the Segmentum Solar receives our request in reinforcing our Pacifiicus defences and directly sending aid to Lylat.

That is something we should really discuss, General Hare of Lylat, Aun'shi spoke now, More gue'la, both Imperial and Chaos, will be trampling through here in a small window of time and it is recommended that you prepare.

Peppy sighed. He knew that things weren't going to be easy, but he didn't expect this much trouble in just trying to secure a peaceful agreement between Corneria and the denizens of the neighbouring galaxy.

General Hare, Alexander now spoke, I am Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander of the 1st Kronus Regiment, currently broken from the Imperium and are siding with the remnants of the planet Eden and Jacques Mortensen. We stand ready to assist you any way we can.

Alexander was surprised at Alexander's friendly gesture, "You are, Governor?"

It is true, Jacques now spoke, General Hare.

Peppy smiled, seeing Jacques face and hearing his voice, "It's good to see you again, Jacques."

Thank you, Peppy Hare. Our weapons and manpower will greatly add to your own shoulder you agree to meet with us in person and discuss terms of formal alliance and plans for counterattack against the Chaos hordes. The Imperial forces here, both Guard and Astartes, are willing to rally beside us to the defence of this system.

Peppy turned to the Ultramarine's screen, "Is this true?"

Calgar nodded, Every single word, Hare.

Peppy contemplated all this for nearly a full minute, and what he said next caused hearts to both calm down in rhythm, or quicken with disgust and shame over allying with xeno once again.

"So it's agreed," Peppy smugly said, "Move your fleet into the defence zone and I will meet you all in person. You may all bring escorts, but unarmed. Calgar, for security reasons your Battle-Barge can be in proximity to the surface and Fox, we will take remote control of the Great Fox II and bring it into dry dock. Have we reached an understanding?"

Sturnn nodded slowly, _Alright, we will play it your way for now._

_Sound good, General, _Fox stated, _We will be seeing you._

Peppy smiled, "General Hare signing off."

Peppy exhaled as the screens faded and deactivated as he closed the channel and stepped down from the platform. He removed his cap and wiped his brow with his handkerchief, glad to have kept the Imperium of Lylat's back for the time being, and that the closest person he ever had to a son was still alive.

"James," he spoke quietly to himself, "Your son and his big brother still live."

--

The Cornerian and Venomian capital ships made way for the massive Coalition fleet to pass by the defences and head on straight towards Venom, much to the Air Defence Zone personnel's horror and dismay, but they knew that orders were orders. The Great Fox II was soon under the control of the Cornerian High Command via remote and along with the Ultramarine Battle-Barge Emperor Incarnatus they proceeded to head directly towards the planet surface, albeit at a slow rate.

Very soon four different transport shuttles left the fleet and descended down towards the planet, bearing the heat of the atmosphere and breaking through it half-a-minute later. Two Thunderhawks, one Aquila Lander and one Orca dropship were each distance away from the other as they begun soaring over the cliffs and canyons of the planet Venom. Their destination, a massive rocky mountain where deep within it was the command centre of the Cornerian/Venomian armies.

The Emperor Incarnatus and the Great Fox II followed close behind, with the latter on auto pilot and directly taking the same route as the smaller transports while the Emperor Incarnatus kept it's distance away from the other ships. It's boatload of fifty Marines and nearly a hundred more serfs keeping cool on board right behind their masters.

On the cliff edge of a canyon, two Venomian soldiers on patrol stood next to their four-wheeled ATV as they stared up at the massive Battle-Barge. It casted a shadow over them and the hill they stood on as it blotted out the sun and from their point of view much of the sky. One of the simians gulped and struggled to hold onto his bladder as he begun to believe that the Apocalypse had finally come to Lylat in the form of the Imperium, and not Chaos.

--

On board the Aquila Lander, the pilots checked their navigation equipment and discovered that their coordinates had changed, that they were assigned a different location than the other transports.

"The xenos are separating us from the other shuttles," the co-pilot complained.

"Better call it in," the main pilot commanded, "They could plan to pick us off away from the xeno-lovers."

In the passenger cabin, Sturnn looked out the window to find themselves flying over the rocky canyons and acidic seas of Venom, after a surprisingly smooth re-entry through the planet's atmosphere. He had to wonder why the inhabitants could even deem this planet as hospitable, which added to the lore that was Venomian madness rumoured brought upon by the ambitions of the former 'emperor' Andross, which no doubt spread to his nephew Andrew.

Sturnn looked over at the seat next to him to find edgy, nervous Admiral Nero. Though his face appeared stoic, his eyes and the jittery movements of his hands betrayed him.

"If I remember correctly, Nero," Sturnn said, "The Cornerians are willing to ally with us, henceforth won't even try to raise arms against us."

Nero turned his head and glared at the general. He snorted, "I am not concerned about the xeno, General. I am concerned about what the Inquisition will do to us once they arrive here in two weeks."

Sturnn looked hard and was about to speak when the cabin vox caster sounded off.

Gentlemen, we have been given different coordinates to that of the Tau, Eden and Ultramarines entourages. Shall we proceed?

"Do it," Sturnn ordered, then uttered toward Nero, "Probably no worse than what Cornerians will do to us first chance they get."

It was obvious that trust was still going to be an issue for the duration of said Alliance.

--

All transports, please proceed to docking bay #15 and await further instructions. Great Fox II Navigation Computer, direct towards Bay #15 and shut down all engines.

Two blue-coloured Thunderhawks and one T'au Orca descended towards the mountain. Upon getting closer, them heading directly towards the designated coordinates, they approached a series of massive hangar doors with a massive white coloured numbers ranging from 10 to 20 imprinted on them. Door number 15 opened and the ships flew in.

Inside the Venomian décored hangar both canine and simian support personnel and guards rushed everywhere in anticipation of both their human and non-human arrivals. Many armed personnel immediately held their guns to themselves nervously as the three transport ships landed, wary of the Tau vessel was nearly frightened of the Imperials ships.

Peppy shooks his head sadly as he watched from the hangar control room window which surveyed the whole massive hangar area, from Bays #10 to #20. There was no way that the people of Lylat were ever going to get over their fear of humanity, that he knew for sure. He spirits immediately brightened when the Great Fox II pulled into Bay #16 right beside the transports.

He stepped out of the control room and towards the nearest flight of stairs, which would take him down to the hangar. It would be a long walk towards Bay #15, but he didn't mind.

--

"Shit, that's close to overkill," Falco groaned as he looked at the vid screen in the Eden Thunderhawk, "Those apes are all packing anti-armour rifles, as if the tincans are the only kind of human here."

Fox unclasped himself from his safety harness and stood up, straightening and creaking his back, "You were expecting a different kind of welcoming committee, Falco?"

Alexander looked hard as he stepped towards the door leading out of the passenger cabin, "By rights they should be prepared for an attack by the Emperor's armies. They were the ones who brought Chaos to Lylat in the first place."

"Yes," Krystal said, a bit heated, "Andrew."

Alexander stopped before he stepped through the doorway and turned to the vixen. He hissed, "Before him, actually. If you recall Cerinia and how Chaos was really behind it's destruction."

Krystal felt her heart beat with panic and horror would have crossed her face if she didn't have the strength of will not to display her emotions. She shrugged it off and instead turned to Katt as she disengaged her harness.

"Katt?"

"Yeah?"

"You know that wallet you received from that soldier back near Beltino Station?"

"What about it?"

She smiled gently, "If you'd like, I'll give it to his wife and break the news."

Katt was surprised at her gesture, but returned the smile and reached into her pocket, giving her the wallet, "Thanks for sparing me from emotional arrows bound to have flown at me."

They all stepped out the passenger cabin, just as the door leading into the cockpit opened and out stepped Jacques. He looked over his comrades and made eye contact with Fox, who likewise returned the determined stare.

"Are you ready to face tenfold of intolerance, bigotry, xenophobia, distrust and possibly betrayal regarding our alliances between Lylat and the Imperium of Man?" Jacques asked them all, "Those who stand beside me, irrelevant of species."

Fox crossed his arms, "I can't say I wasn't born ready, but I think I'll adapt."

"Then let this charade begin."

--

Peppy waved down the Venomians armed with armour piercing rifles with a stern gaze towards the leading security officer.

"That won't be necessary, sergeant," Peppy told him, "I know these humans and…"

He indicated the Tau Orca.

"…these strangers."

The spider monkey shook his head disdainfully, still holding his rifle, "I only take orders from the Preator, General 'sir'."

Immediately the hangar announcement speaker blurted, _All security personnel stand down before Star Fox, the Eden fleet personnel and the Tau. That is an order from your Preator._

The simian Venomian gritted his teeth and groaned, "Orders are orders, general sir."

Peppy nodded in thanks and turned towards the tranports opened and their respective passengers stepped out. For the old hare time appeared to slow down as they all separately walked away from their ships and away from the docks. He thought he had tears of joy streaming down his eyes when he saw Star Fox step forward from the first Thunderhawk. He stepped forward towards an ecstatic Fox, who was now running towards him.

"Peppy!" Fox exclaimed, smiling widely, "Y…you're alive!"

The old hare smiled and gave the young vulpine whom he considered a son a hug, throwing his arms around his neck and holding him close. Fox returned the hug as he heard Peppy laugh, "I've got a good fifty to seventy years left before I'm ready to go."

"Yeah."

Fox let go and allowed Peppy to survey the rest of the crew, including Jacques and the Eden fleet officers. Star Fox and Jacques each looked happy to be seeing Peppy alive and well, and Krystal expressed that thoroughly as she stepped forward next and grasped his left hand gently warmly

"It's good to see you again, Peppy," Krystal smiled, "Or…should I call you General Hare?"

"Just Peppy will do, Krystal," Peppy smiled, then turned to Falco, "Falco."

"Hey old coot," Falco grinned, "You look different in a uniform."

Peppy appeared not amused, "And I could have you thrown in the brig for disrespecting a superior officer, Lombardi."

Falco appeared sour, "Y'know there's other ways you could tell me to shut my beak, Peppy."

"I gave up being direct a long time ago," Peppy sighed, "Anyway…"

He noticed Katt standing next to the avian.

"Hello, Monroe," Peppy greeted with a smile.

"That's Katt to you, Pep," Katt returned the smile and shook his hand, "It's been a while."

Peppy then glanced over at Jacques, Alexander, Vash and other Eden officers present.

"Yes, it has," Peppy finally responded.

Jacques smiled and walked towards Peppy, who craned his neck to look up at the Ultramarine now Grey Knight, which was the first new thing he noticed about Jacques, the second being the 7 shaped scar on his face. Peppy extended his hand, and almost shuddered when it disappeared into Jacques' large silvery gauntlet.

"I see you've changed your wardrobe," Peppy pointed out, "It suits you."

"You have my thanks, Peppy Hare," Jacques said, then added, "I see you have ascertained rank in my absence."

The rabbit nodded, "I have. Pepper couldn't cope with the loss of Papetoon, and did the only reasonable thing."

Jacques raised an eyebrow, "Do you know where he is now? Is he still alive?"

"We have no further information at the moment," Peppy replied, then turned to Alexander.

Alexander straightened his back as he saluted, "Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander of the 1st Kronus Regiment. This is Colonel Vash, my second-in-command."

Vash gave a quick salute, much to Peppy's confusion.

"I understand the Kronus 1st is a breakaway from the rest of the Imperium," Peppy stated, "And that the Cadian 412th and…"

He noticed Calgar, Cassius and Tigerius approaching, flanked by their Honour Guard.

"…the Ultramarines 1st Company have been deployed to apprehend you."

"That is correct," Jacques replied, "I am at fault for bringing them here, but upon sensing the taint building up above Corneria I had to return."

"And where he goes, the Kronus 1st follows," Alexander added, "It's because of him that we and the survivors of Eden have managed to survive for this long."

Peppy nodded in acknowledgment, just as the people before him stood aside to allow Calgar to greet Peppy, first with his immense size and bulk which did nothing to intimidate the old hare. Peppy looked curiously up at the questioned Lord Macragge, who nodded with acknowledgment of his presence. The hare kept a straight face as Calgar spoke with that authoritarian tone he always used.

"General Pepper?" Calgar stated.

"Retired, and whereabouts unknown," Peppy answered, "Lord Macragge."

He then faced Tigerius.

"Chief Librarian."

Tigerius nodded at being called that. Fox looked in silent wonder as Peppy then addressed Cassius.

"Master of the Sanctity."

Cassius smiled, "It has been a long time, is it now Airman Hare."

Fox's eyes widened, "Huh? You people know each other."

Cassius looked at Fox, still smiling, "You do not know? Tis' funny you do not."

Getting frustrated, Fox frowned, "What don't I know?"

"That your father figure and your real father were unwillingly involved in the Emperor's service thirty-eight years ago today, vulpine" Tigerius chipped in.

Fox looked around him frantically, seeing all eyes on him. From Falco, Katt, Krystal, Slippy, Amanda and Jacques; it was confusion. From Alexander and Vash, it was wonder. To the Ultramarines, it was assertion. But to Peppy, it was weariness.

"Wh…what are you guys talking about?" Fox asked.

Peppy sighed and patted Fox's shoulder, "It's a very long story, Fox. Something that your father should have told you…or better yet…I should have told you before last year."

"You mean you haven't told him yet, Airman Hare?"

All eyes now turned to the Tau delegation as they approached from the Orca dropship, parked right next to the docked Great Fox II. O'Shovah was the first to join the conversation, with Aun'shi, the Water Caste diplomats and their Fire Warrior escorts right behind him. La'Jakob kept close to Aun'shi like a good bodyguard should.

"Commander Farsight?" Peppy was now surprised, "Of all places, we find you here."

"It was easy," O'Shovah stated, "Just direct our ship towards the same galactic tear you and McCloud made three decades ago that landed you in our ever-growing section of the universe."

"And we of T'au followed to persuade him to return home to explain himself," Aun'shi added, slightly venomous, "But now, circumstances have made our plans to return home temporary void."

Fox felt another headache coming down on him on top of the one he had been suffering from since his return to the real world after the downing of the Great Fox II. He sighed heavily and ruffled his head-fur, once again catching everyone's attention.

"Alright," Fox raised his hands, "What _are_ we talking about here?"

Peppy frowned and brushed his chin, "Once the Imperial Guard officers land why don't we discuss this in the war room with the rest of my officers."

"Agreed," Aun'shi said, then turned to Fox, "McCloud."

"Yeah."

"I must apologise if we were too direct concerning history involving your father," Aun'shi explained.

Peppy looked at Fox with concern, "Talk to me later on before we begin redeployment of our forces and I'll tell you everything."

Fox appeared plain as he asked plainly, "You promise."

"Yes."

Fox then glanced over at the fully repaired and refurbished Great Fox II.

"I need a shower…"

--

_Imperial Guard transport, proceed to hangar #21 and await further instructions, over._

"Roger that," the main Aquila pilot responded into the vox, "Adjusting course, vector 2-5-7."

The Aquila flew towards the other end of the mountain and towards the Hangar Doors with the number #21 on it. The hangar doors opened and in flew the Aquila. The hangar support personnel on the ground felt nervous at seeing the Double-Headed Eagle on the side of the transport, and Cornerian soldiers and Venomian guards scrambled to greet them. And maybe even defend themselves if their guests' fanatical leanings proved too much and they throw themselves screaming bloody murder at the kemonoes. It has happened before at one pivotal point during the history between Lylat and the Imperium.

Stepping into view of the pilots was a Cornerian mastiff in a military uniform similar to Peppy's, but was a purple colour, and he was smiling as the shuttle touched down. The pilot reached for his vox and pressed TALK down.

"You best watch yourselves once you step out, sirs," the pilot pointed, "General Hare is not here to greet us."

_Thank you for the heads up, _Sturnn responded, _Just keep the shuttle's drives hot in case we need to make a quick exit._

Stepping of the side door first was two armed Commissariat cadets, followed by Plymouth and two more Commissariat escorts. Sturnn and Nero followed suit, flanked by two more escorts. The purple-uniformed mastiff and nearly an entire platoon of his own soldiers stepped forward to greet them. Silence took over as the Cornerian looked straight at the general with a quaint smile.

"I'm Colonel Mick," the mastiff greeted, "General Hare's busy entertaining your Space Marine chums, and so left me deal with you purebreeds."

Sturnn shook his head, "I suppose he pulled your name out of a hat amongst the other officers."

"You could say that," Mick replied, "Now…if you'll just follow me I'll escort you to the command centre. The other Cornerian and Venomian officers are due to all arrive there in about an hour and fifteen, so you'll have to keep yourselves occupied till' then."

"_Venomian_ you say?" Plymouth all but bellowed, "I thought the apes and the dogs were at war."

Mick continued to smile as he looked over his shoulder, turning his back to the Imperials much to their disdain, "In desperate times, we learn to play along in dealing with bigger assholes than we are."

Getting rapidly annoyed by this xeno officers carefree spirit and smart-alecky attitude, Nero demanded, "How do we know those Chaos-worshipping monkeys will not turn on us all, eh?"

All Venomians present felt their heads jerk up at the statement, feeling scared that the Imperials had specifically mentioned them. Mick just chuckled and turned around to face them again.

"If they decide not to behave, then we'll deal with them ourselves."

Sturnn smiled himself now, "Alright. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

Mick smirked, "How generous. Maybe you Imperial Guard types aren't so bad after all."

"Do not push the Emperor's generosity, xeno," Nero scorned lightly.

Now Mick was even more amused, "Xeno? Hey buddy, you're not in your own galaxy any more. Here in Lylat, you're not the dominant species, and you're approximately…what…one million light years from the nearest skinny hive world."

He then smiled at the shocked, violated face of the Admiral, and the expressionless looks on Sturnn and Plymouth.

"Out here…_you're_ the xeno."

Plymouth narrowed his eyes and thought, 'How ironic…not to mention _drawl_.'

--

Peppy personally led the Tau delegation through the tunnels out of the hangar towards the main command centre, with Aun'shi and O'Shovah walking right behind him with their escorts keeping in step. Jakob now kept to the back, his hands to his pockets and his fingers brushing the handles of his plasma SMGs, readying in case things turn hostile.

"So you actually found that same tear we used to reach the borders of Damocles?" Peppy asked impressed, "That's remarkable."

O'Shovah smiled, "Is it not, General Hare."

"But I'm confused," Peppy continued, "We are you all here in the first place?"

O'Shovah smile faded, "I feel I should not tell you at this time. But rest assured, it is to contribute to the Greater Good."

Peppy shook his head, "It would be impossible for Lylat to integrate, O'Shovah."

"My point exactly, Hare," Aun'shi said, "O'Shovah refuses to listen to reason and to not return with is to T'au."

O'Shovah frowned and looked over at the Ethereal, "I will gladly hand myself over to Aun'va himself once we have completed our mission. And that is to defeat the Forces of Chaos, to stop them from attacking our galaxy from where they least suspect."

Aun'shi and Peppy glanced at one another worriedly. Peppy pondered suriously, 'Methinks I'll have to keep an eye on that Fire Caste commander. He was practically on edge thirty-eight years ago, and I don't think he's taken the time to stop back away from it.'

All the while Jakob was at the back, when suddenly when he passed a corner and some crates he thought he heard a child sobbing. He stopped in his tracks and moved to investigate, his heartstrings already tugged at hearing such distress, reminding him of events so long ago. He looked back at this rapidly disappearing Tau group and Aun'shi, seeing the Ethereal glance at the human and give a solemn nod, before he and the Tau delegation disappeared through a doorway right behind Peppy.

La'Jakob looked behind the crates to find a small wolf girl in a yellow dress standing in the corner, crying gently. His face softened at the sight as he squatted behind her. The girl stopped sobbing and turned, immediately gasping in fright.

The human smiled, almost naively "Hello there."

"D…don't hurt me, mister hyoo-man," the girl squeaked as she backed up against the wall, causing Jakob to lose his smile, "I…I was j…just standing here…"

Jakob mentally slapped his forehead and cursed at himself. He said, "It is alright. I am not here to hurt you or anyone else here."

"B…but you're an Imperial," the girl stuttered, "And my…daddy always says to stay away from Imperial. They are bad men."

Jakob smiled again at this childish revelation, "And he is absolutely right, little one. But I am not an Imperial…"

He pointed at the T'au symbol on his trenchcoat, the girl immediately glancing at it. She reached forward and gently ran a finger over it, appearing awestruck.

"I am part of the Tau," Jakob said, simplifying who he was so that she could understand clearly, "And we do not wish to hurt anyone who is not human. We wish to protect them from the _evil_ Imperium."

The little girl calmed down a bit, "R…really?"

"I have no reason to lie to you."

The girl nodded and smiled, before it quickly faded. Jakob looked concerned, "Why are doing here in such a place reserved for adults?"

The girl rubbed her shoulder and stared at the floor, "I was…trying to find my daddy. He's a soldier, and I thought he would be around here. Mommy said not to leaver her…but I wanted to see daddy."

She then teared up again.

"And now I'm…lost."

Jakob reached forward and caressed her cheek, wiping some of her tears away with her thumb, "You are in luck, little one. Do you wish for me to reunite you with your mother?"

The little girl's eyes brightened at the offer. She shouted happily, "Yes!"

La'Jakob cringed at the volume of the girl's voice, before standing up and taking the little girl's hand in his, "Well, first we have to get out of this place. And you will have to help me guide us. Can you do that?"

The little girl nodded and said, "I'll try Mr…er…"

"Jakob."

"Jakob," the girl said that name herself, trying to familiarise her lips to it, "That's a strange name."

"How do I know yours isn't stranger?"

The girl frowned, "Nina isn't a strange name."

Now grinning, Jakob responded, "No, it's not. Let's go."

--

Fox was practically beaming when he and the team stepped back on board the Great Fox II, finding themselves down the passage that connected the airlock to the main hallway through the ship, and which led to the main bridge. Jacques kept to the back, observing and silently familiarising himself once again with the décor of the Great Fox. Falco glanced behind his shoulder and noticed his eyes wandering around himself.

He smirked, "You missed being crammed in this tub instead of stretching out on your flying castle?"

Unamused, Jacques responded, "This is what kept me and the gene-seed intact for three months, Falco."

Falco shook his head and chuckled, "Nice to have you back on the team, then."

Fox looked over at Krystal by his side, who smiled back at him, "What is it, Fox?"

The vulpine stretched his arms behind his head, "I didn't think the Tau would mend the Great Fox this quickly, or even this good. Everything looks good as new."

They walked into the bridge, where they found it to be just as they left it when the Great Fox II crashed landed on Titania. Originally it had been completely flattened when the ship crashed head first into the sand back on that Death World, but now it has been completely, with even the computer systems back online. ROB immediately stepped over towards his usual place in the bridge beside the hologram generator and console. Slippy whistled sharply, hands on his hands.

"You stand corrected, Fox," Slippy smiled.

ROB placed hand on the console's keyboard and begun typing with one hand.

"All systems have been repaired and online, just as the Earth Caste had said," ROB reported, "Engines are one-hundred percent functional, weapons systems engaged and standing by, shield generators are at maximum…"

"In short the blueskins are good for something after all," Falco chided, stepping forward so that all could see him. He cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms, "Well…I plan to put my hour to good use. A shower and a new set of clothes have my name stitched into them."

Slippy waved his hand before his nose, "Yeah, I've noticed the air smells bad here."

Falco narrowed his eyes, "So have I. Outta the way…!"

Katt smirked sexily, "Mind if I join you?"

Falco suppressed a blush, but smiled, "In public, Katt?"

They pushed past Fox, Krystal, Slippy and Jacques and disappeared down the hallway. Krystal couldn't help but smile lightly.

"I don't think they will be letting each other out of one another's sights for a long time," she stated, "I just know it."

Jacques smiled lightly as well, "So do I."

Fox simply shrugged and stepped over towards his command chair, saying, "Alright, we've got an hour to remember we're dignified living beings, so get to it."

Knowing he meant that they all needed a nice hot shower, clean clothes and a bite to eat, Krystal noticed he was sitting down in his chair on the bridge. She asked concerned, "What about you?"

"I need to sort some things out," Fox responded, "See you all when I see you."

Krystal was no doubt confused. She then felt Jacques' hand on her shoulder.

"Leave him be, Krystal. What Peppy told him earlier, no doubt it will heavy on his mind."

Krystal nodded lightly and sighed, "No doubt at all."

The vixen exited the bridge and went to her room, leaving Jacques and Slippy standing in the doorway. Slippy turned to the Grey Knight.

"What're are you going to do?" Slippy asked.

Jacques looked down the hallway and door leading into large unused supply room that used to be his own personal quarters. He replied in an emotionless tone, "I left my War Journal and my Codex here."

Without another word he left as well. Slippy shrugged and went straight to his room as well, leaving Fox alone and sitting in his chair on the bridge with his thoughts. The vulpine leaned back into his chair and looked out the main window, seeing the hangar and Cornerian support crews passing by on the elevated gangwalks, tending to both the Great Fox and the Infinity. Many of the Tau Air Caste personnel advising and directing the support crews as to how to tend to their Explorer-vessel.

He wasn't concerned about the Tau's presence among them as much as the Imperium. But what really concerned him about the mysterious bluekins was that Aun'shi, O'Shovah and the Ultramarines had nonchalantly mentioned James McCloud's involvement with them nearly thirty-seven years ago. James McCloud…his father. Peppy had promised to talk to him in private regarding his father and the Tau, and Fox somehow felt nervous about the fact that the McCloud family has had dealings with the neighbouring galaxy before last year.

"What are you hiding from me, Peppy?" Fox whispered to himself, "It's like I don't know who my own old man really was."

--

Krystal sighed pleasantly as she stripped herself of her blue bodysuit and tossed it nonchalantly to the corner of the bathroom, the slight cold air making her fur stand on end as she reached towards the shower's taps and turned the hot water on slightly. She let it run for a while as she removed her tiara from her forward and put it to the side, before she ran the cold water so that it would be warm, not scalding. She then thanked the gods as she stepped into and let the running water soak her, ridding her of nearly two days worth of sand, dirt and bolter residue as well as the smell of blood and her own sweat.

She picked up a bar of soap and begun lathering herself all over – Starting with her stomach up to her breasts then to her back, all the while thinking about what was happening outside the steel walls of the Great Fox. No doubt by now that the Imperials Sturnn, Plymouth, Nero and their bodyguards would have arrived by now in a separate hangar and were being escorted to the central command by Cornerian and Venomians with hate in their eyes. And that would be the same kind of hate humanity has displayed towards the Lylatians, or furries as they often 'affectionately' called.

As she got started on washing her hair with lavender scented shampoo she thought about the subject of _hate_, and how there was so much of it in the universe. Hate was what made up one of the virtues of the Dark God Khorne. And the Imperium in their eternal war against the malevolence of the Immaterium fought against him, all the while displaying every shade of hatred there is towards anyone non-humans and towards themselves, and this was another sign of their hypocrisy. She prayed that Jacques does not bring himself to hate as well, even against the enemy, fearing that he may unwillingly bring himself down to their level. She hoped that no one around her succumbs to hatred, which could be considered dangerous as it may allow Chaos itself into his or her hearts.

As for herself, she could never bring herself show hatred to anyone, even against the False Chaos Gods, the Chaos Space Marines and the Despoiler for taking away her homeworld, her people and her family. And for that she was completely beautiful in her mind and soul just as much as she was with her body. She begun to rinse the lather off her furry body, all the while still thinking.

'I have to know for sure,' she reasoned to herself, 'If Jacques is incapable of hate.'

--

Falco looked at his own naked form in the mirror, feeling completely refreshed from his round in the shower. He ran his own beak up his arm feathers and inhaled, before exhaling pleasantly, pleased that he was finally clean. A equally negligee and still slightly wet Katt snuck up behind him and clung to his back, smiling as she playfully teased him by hiding herself from view

The avian winced and cringed gently as he felt her left arm caress his belly, his feathers nearly sticking on end, "You enjoy tormenting me, don't you kitty?"

Katt's smirked widened, "You know you like it, beak-man."

Falco spun around and gently pushed her into the corner, wrapping her arms around her waist and holding her close. Katt blushed bright red at this sudden bodily contact from her avian lover. Now it was Falco's turn to smile, and quite nastily as well due to the expressions of his kindred feline.

"Do I?"

Their faces inched towards one another, feeling each other's breath on their face. Katt mover her legs around Falco's torso as he hoisted her up gently against the wall. She then devoured him in with a mind-blowing passionate kiss, wrapping her arms around his beck. After a good ten seconds they stopped for breath, with Katt whispering into her bird's ear.

"You tell me."

--

Slippy was whistling to himself as he put on a spare yellow jumpsuit, which complimented his red cap, and a manilla coloured belt around his waist. He was glad he left some of his clothing and personal effects on the Great Fox when he had left for the Beltino Station. He stepped over towards his cabinet and opened it, revealing a whole array of gadgets stashed in a brown cardboard box, all of which had collected a fair bit of dust.

'Good thing Falco doesn't know the street value of these babies,' he thought as he reached forward, 'Now let's see…Personal Data Assistant, check! Multitool, check! Communicator, check! Screwdriver …eh?'

He realised the screwdriver he held in his hand was _that _screwdriver. The same on that Jacques had used to brain a Venomian soldier when he first came onto the Great Fox. Slippy stared at it for a while, trying to figure why he wasn't recoiling in disgust or opening his hand to let the tool drop to the floor. He narrowed his eyes and exhaled in annoyance, before attaching it to his belt.

"Check!"

He then looked at himself in the mirror, seeing a seemingly organised green frog staring back at him. There he noticed something was missing.

"I need a weapon."

His eyes widened when he realised he kept one of Jacques' laspistols in his clothes drawer. He skidded over towards his clothes drawer and opened his underwear draw, reaching in and pulling out an orange-coloured laspistol and attached it to his belt behind his back. He then turned towards the mirror and pretended to get into a combat stance.

"Yah!"

He then reached behind him and produced his laspistol and aimed it at the mirror with both hands, where he pretended to fire…

"BZZZ!"

…just when his now loose belt fell down to his legs, and when he awkwardly tried to move he fell over forward and onto his face, still clutching his laspistol. He groaned out loud as he pushed himself up back onto his feet, looking and feeling stupid.

'Glad no one saw that,' he thought as he straightened his belt, 'Falco would make sure we never hear the end of it. And Jacques…'

He looked at his laspistol and cringed.

'I hope he didn't mind me swiping one of his guns. Compared to his other heavy ordinance, this is just a peashooter.'

--

Jacques frowned as he stood in his room, arms crossed and facing the flag of Ultramar on his bedroom wall, having _inadvertently_ heard Slippy's thought while he was trying to collect himself.

'I should have known I was missing a laspistol the last time I did an inventory on the armoury,' he thought, slightly irritated, 'That backward frog…that las weapon will not be much good against a Noise Marine or a Bloodletter.'

Jacques shook his head gently as he focused back on the blue flag with omega symbol crossing over a human skull. Ever since he had been actively utilising his psychic gifts he had tried to focus a lot harder. Not only because he had to regulate the power that coursed through him bodily systems that also found it's way through his armour and through his weapons, but also to ward off any malevolent beings that traversed the Immaterium that could use him as a gateway into the material universe. That would put all those around him in danger, especially during battle.

The Grey Knight wished he could utilise power the same way Krystal could, and indeed how the ancient Cerinians did during their war against Dark Cerinia. They had used the seemingly obsolete elements of nature – _Fire_, _Water_, _Earth_, and_ Wind_– as their sources of the power, using them in junction with their own bodily energies to cast power and spells equal to the Warp – which they referred to as the _Void_. And only the Dark Cerinians had wielded the 'Void' during the Cerinia Conflict.

His reason for wanting to do so was that he didn't want to expose himself to the Warp, knowing that it also had the power to taint those who didn't have the strength of will. Jacques was continually worried that one day his strength may fade and his soul would be taken, leaving only a inevitably mutated, Chaos-ridden husk, that would immediately go after those closest to him, and especially Krystal.

Jacques closed his eyes, trying not to think about whatever terrible fate could befall the blue vixen too much as he walked over to his desk and opened a nearby drawer. He reached in and pulled out both his War Journal and his copy of the Codex Astartes, the sacred set of rules the Emperor's Chosen had to abide by and memorise. He saw that they had been collecting dust, a sign that Star Fox hadn't thought of touching them. But Jacques then noticed that they didn't have a problem keeping the rest of his room spotless.

He smiled, 'Like a shrine. A memento to when I was here. Whoever had the idea to keep this room clean…?'

Jacques smile faded when Krystal came into mind, causing him to place his hand to the side of his head and frown as he tried not to think about her again. Ever since last year he had been thinking a lot about her adoptive sister, with almost every waking moment he had wondered how she was doing back in Lylat, hoping that she would be safe, that Fox would protect her, that she would be all right without him. The times he was allowed to sleep for a couple of hours in the barracks on Macragge he would always dream about her, and would unknowingly reach for his necklace, her gift to him, while he slept.

He thought of her so much that it was beginning to disturb him.

'I think about her during battle, when I should be thinking about to bring down my enemy. I think about her during peacetime when I am training. I think about her in my sleep, when dreaming should rarely be impossible for the Astartes,' he deduced in his mind, 'And I…regret my last words to her before I left with Lord Macragge.'

'**You have shown me that you can protect yourself far more than I ever could. And you have Fox to defend you if you are unable to. You must understand this.'**

He closed his eyes tightly.

'Why do I think so much about her? She is not frail…she can protect herself when I am not around. She is broad-minded and capable, yet I still dread for her. Why is it that I think about her this much?'

He opened his eyes and downcast them.

'What _is_ it about her to make me think like this?'

--

Krystal stepped out her room, fully dressed in totally new attire. She was now dressed in military-grade khaki-brown pants with several pockets, a black shirt and a khaki-brown vest. She knew this wasn't as extravagant as her blue flight suit, but fashion plays no part on the battlefield. Her blaster was holstered to her side while her staff was in a sheath on her back.

She headed to the bridge, wanting to check up on Fox, and to see if he had budged from his 'thinking position' all this time. She traversed the hallway and stepped into the bridge, nevertheless finding the vulpine was still seated near the holo-projector. Krystal sighed…

"Fox?"

…and caught Fox's attention, who's eyes widened for a second, seeing her dressed totally different.

"Krystal," he smiled lightly, "Are you all set?"

The vixen narrowed her eyes, almost smelling his sweat from the doorway, "I should be asking you that."

Fox sighed and got up from his chair, straightening his pants, "Sorry. I just needed to sort myself out. What we've seen these last couple of days would have been Jacques' entire life as a Space Marine"

Krystal stepped forward, her face softened, "Is there something you want to talk about?"

Fox scratched the back of his dirty head confusingly as she stood before Krystal, "I…I don't really know what to talk about. I don't know _what _to say. This is all messed up."

"What is?"

Fox looked at he as if she was crazy, "Everything! For example the thought that my father is somehow involved in all this, maybe even from the beginning with the Chaos Space Marine finding itself in this system."

"We don't know that," Krystal tried to assure him, "Aun'shi and O'Shovah could be mistaken."

Fox looked glum, "But definitely not Peppy, unless senility hits you at fifty-one. He's probably kept something from me for years, and it's pissing me that's it's only now we're about to go to war he's decided to open his mouth. And of all people it's about my father."

He chuckled sadly.

"And I thought I knew everything about James McCloud, AKA my father."

Krystal didn't know what to say. Never has Fox ever poured his own heart out like this about his father, a topic that rare in conversation between vulpine and vixen. Fox looked into her eyes and saw confusion, not to mention sadness welling within them.

"I'm sorry," he added almost ashamedly, "I must sound so god-awful depressing right now."

Krystal shook her head and smiled lightly, "No, you don't. Whatever Peppy wants to say to you, I'm sure he will mention how should have told you sooner. It's not like Peppy to keep secrets from any of us, and this would also be hard for him."

As she moved to hug him Fox stopped her, stepping back some. Krystal almost gasped lightly, shocked.

He smiled embarrassingly and blushed, "I haven't showered, remember."

Krystal sighed with relief and stepped forward, hugging him gently anyway, much to Fox's dismay. They stayed that way for about a minute, before Fox gently pried her off him and kissed her forehead gently.

"I'm gonna go clean up now," Fox said softly, "Don't wait up."

The vulpine then passed by Krystal to his room, leaving her once again alone. Krystal sighed almost sadly, believing her interaction with Fox wasn't exactly what she had in mind. She wanted him to pour his heart out and to confide in her, but not to get up and abruptly leave like that. She looked down at herself, then turned to head to see Jacques door at the other end of the hallway.

She frowned, before putting one foot in front of the other all the way towards Jacques' door.


	18. Chapter 16b: Declaration of War

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

Chapter 16b – Declaration of War (continued)

* * *

Jacques slowly read through his war journal from the first page, flipping each one over with his index finger and observing it's contents, remembering each day's entry recounting his time spent as part of Star Fox, the first ever human member of the Lylatian band of adventurer's for hire. And each day as a mercenary he spent either completing assignments involving striking against the Venomian war effort, oddjobs for various people he felt deserves his help or just staying on board the Great Fox – and spending the whole day in the simulator and breaking everyone's Best Scores.

"Jacques?"

He turned around and saw, of all people, Krystal walking towards him, a soft smile on her face. Jacques put the journal down on his desk and straightened his back as he stood before her. He returned Krystal's smile as she approached him until he was looking down at her, seeing she had finally managed to change her wardrobe to something more military grade.

"Are you alright, Jacques?" Krystal asked, noticing he looked astray.

The Grey Knight nodded, "I am."

Krystal smiled and crossed arms slightly, "Good, I'm glad…because…"

She felt hesitant as she continued.

"…I…I wanted to talk to you."

Noticing her hesitancy and nervousness, Jacques asked, "What about?"

Krystal shrugged, "Anything. Anything at all, I just want to talk you… like a friend."

She then stepped up to him and placed her hand on his left armoured arm, moving it up and down invitingly, Jacques glanced down at her questioningly.

"Can we sit down here?"

Jacques nodded and they did so. Krystal sat cross-legged on the bed while Jacques sat up against the metal wall on his behind, legs slightly stretched out in front of him. Krystal flushed with slight embarrassment, seeing how awkward they looked. A Cerinian and a fully armoured Grey Knight actually sitting down near one another and talking, or were about to talk. And they were not caring about the fact that civilisation was just outside the ship and it would make for even more awkwardness if someone happened to come along, especially if it was an Imperial soldier.

"You kept my quarters clean," Jacques pointed out.

Krystal smiled, "Just in case you ever came back and rejoined the team. We missed you a lot, you know. Especially Fox."

"Fox?"

Krystal scratched the back of her head, trying to come up with something meaningful to say. She sighed and gave up, deciding to ask, "What…happened to you once you…returned to the Imperium?"

Jacques scanned the ground at his feet with this eyes, then responded, "My brothers and I returned to Macragge and immediately reported to the Fortress Hera, where I was reinstated back to active duty in the service of Ultramar and the Emperor of Mankind."

He smiled lightly, still looking at the ground.

"Afterwards I was given the opportunity to join the First Company and be trained as a Librarian. I…however…refused."

Krystal was surprised, "Why?"

"I…I did not think I had earned the right to become part of the 1st," Jacques answered, "I had only entered my 37th year of existence. Veterans are normally hundreds of years old and of much experience."

"It would still have been an honour, right?"

"Oh yes," Jacques admitted, "It would have."

Krystal nodded as well. She then studied him for a few seconds, her eyes trailing over the fact that, save for the blue cape and the loincloth with the Omega symbol on it, he wasn't a Ultramarine any more, but a daemon-hunting Grey Knight, part of the Chamber-Militant of the dreaded Inquisition. Her eyes softened with sadness and confusion was evident, despite having been told what had happened to him, she needed to know how it had come to that.

She looked at his face softly, causing Jacques to stare back. Better than anyone else he knew he could almost read her like a book, and that comes from sharing kindred with her. When he saw that mix of sadness and confusion. He grimaced slightly knowing what she wanted to hear.

"Months ago," Jacques explained slowly, shuffling his weight so that his whole body was facing her, "The 2nd Company was assigned to assist the Tyranid Hunters to clear out an infestation on Medusa II. It was remnants of the Hive Fleet Kraken, and they were flanked by numerous human hybrid Genestealer cults."

"Tyranids?" Krystal questioned.

Jacques sighed, "Sentient bug creatures. They can be compared to the Aparoids you once mentioned to me, but these are completely biological."

"Oh. Please continue."

"We were deployed into the heat of battle, me and the hundred of my brothers, right atop five-hundred thousand Tyranids, who were already being held back by the Tyranid Hunters and the Planetary Defence Force. I thought it would be like Cerinia again, that the 2nd Company would be destroyed a second time. But…"

He downcast his eyes, causing Krystal to become more concerned. She got off the bed and sat herself down on the floor so that she was directly sitting cross-legged before him.

"…the Hive Tyrant had already being killed. His psychic link with the Hive Mind and it's forces was gone and the creatures were being scattered, disorganised. We picked them a hundred by a hundred. Until suddenly something happened."

"What?"

"They all quickly organised themselves into one massive group and headed straight for the planet's fusion power plant. We knew that if the power station was breached, the resulting explosion would blow the planet apart, killing me, my brothers, and billions of innocent people."

Krystal's brow shifted, "What did you do?"

"Because I and those around me were ahead of the rest of the company, I ordered my brothers under my command to head for the power plant and hold the Tyranids back long enough for the rest of our forces to regroup and flank them from behind. But Genestealers then ambushed us. Just twelve of us against a hundred tyranid/human hybrids armed to, and with, their teeth."

"Did anyone die?"

"Luckily not one of our own, because out of nowhere came an Eldar Farseer and her Warhost."

"Eldar?" Krystal almost exclaimed surprisingly.

Jacques nodded, "Taldeer – The Dreamer of Ulthwe…and an Inquisitorial prisoner since the end of the Dark Crusade of Kronus. Somehow she had escaped from the Ordo Xeno fortress from Medusa IV and came here to investigate Psyker energies, presumably from the Tyranid Hive Mind. She offered to us the use of our Webway to quickly travel to the power plant and defend it. Though my brothers all objected, I accepted."

"Even though you knew it was against your code?"

Jacques nodded again, "We reached the power plant and we held off the swarms long enough for them to be flanked. The Farseer and her forces also assisted us in battling them, which I guess was in order to save the planet and it's population. After the Tyranids were defeated, I realised who she was and despite pleas from my brothers I…"

He cut himself off, and saw Krystal was looking at him with anticipation.

"…I…I let her go."

"Let her go?"

"I let her escape from Medusa IV. She helped me save the planet, and it seemed fair trade."

Still looking at him sadly, Krystal asked, "But the Imperium didn't look at all this the same way."

"No."

"What happened to you afterwards."

Jacques hesitated at first, mentally putting himself through everything he had suffered as a result of his ideals and his resolve towards non-humans. He noticed Krystal looking into his eyes, and practically into the soul that was bound inside his armoured, muscled frame. He downcast his eyes, contemplating whether to horrify her with the details, or to stop their conversation right there

Through her eyes and how she shuffled as she sat down on firmly before him, Krystal silently implored him to continue, and he did so.

"The Ordo Xenos of the Inquisition demanded to know why Eldar presence detected on the planet was not dealt with immediately, and threatened to condemn the 2nd Company as heretics and destroy the planet themselves. Unless of course if the Marine who allowed them to live and, in their eyes more horrifically, actually allowed them to fight beside them."

Krystal once again felt upset at the very thought of the Inquisition, "You…you gave yourself up?"

"Yes, I did," Jacques said, then realised Krystal's growing devastation and panic. He then compelled to add, "I surrendered myself to the judgement of the Inquisition and sentenced to Arco-Flaggation…though as you can see…."

He glanced down at himself.

"…they had bigger designs for me."

"You gave yourself up…just to save billion of innocent people?" Krystal asked again.

"Yes."

She then glared straight at Jacques, which made him feel surprisingly uneasy, "And the Inquisition turned you into…"

She pointed at him in his armour.

"…that?"

He saw she was visibly being wrecked with anger and grief, due to her clenched teeth, narrowed watering eyes and hands clenching and unclenching. Jacques immediately regretted talking to Krystal about his recent history, internally distraught at seeing the one he loved break down over what happened to her closest friend in the universe. He stood up and turned away from Krystal, the joints in his armour creaking, eyes closed and his own fists clinched as he fought to not curse at himself.

"I should not have told you!" Jacques exclaimed, "Damnation, I should not be even be here!"

Saddened even more by Jacques outburst, she shook her head gently as she stood up as well, facing the Grey Knight who had his back turned to her in shame. Knowing he would not feel her place a reassuring hand on his armoured back…

"It…it was all to save lives?" Krystal rephrased her earlier question.

Jacques moved his hand to trace a finger over the necklace he wore, eyes still closed tightly. He nodded, though Krystal couldn't see it, and said, "To save billions of innocent lives. I believe that the Inquisition…are murderers, Krystal. They are driving mankind into darkness even more so than Chaos. I had to stop them from killing innocent people any way I could, even for a short way."

He sighed.

"It is who I am. I cannot change that. I will die eventually, Krystal, and when I do…"

The next few words completely shattered the blue Cerininan vixen's heart.

"…it will be protecting you and the Lylat System, my only true home. Forgive me…for the misery I have put you through right now, and for what I am about to put you through in the battles ahead."

Krystal begun to get frustrated, not just because Jacques had his back turned to her, but that he had openly declared that he would gladly sacrifice his own life for her, something which she wouldn't allow if she had something to say about it. She never wanted Jacques to suffer over his choices in life, and clearly it pained her to see him in pain, if it would be physically or emotionally.

"Jacques, turn around," Krystal said sternly, hands on his shoulders, "Look at me."

The Grey Knight let go of the necklace and sensed Krystal's frustration with him. Believing that he was being overbearing, he sighed and didn't want to frustrate her further, and turned to face her. Besides suddenly sensing her frustration disappear, he felt both her hands on his cheeks.

"Do you hate, Jacques?"

No doubt he was surprised, "Hate?"

"Do you feel hatred towards the people who took everything away from you? Who had hurt you?" she asked again, voice filled with emotion, "Like the Inquisition?"

Jacques took her hands in his and responded, "I told you…revenge is a fool's game. I pity those blinded by the Imperial Creed and unable to feel anything but hatred towards those unwilling to comprise themselves. Though I should hate them for everything they have done, I cannot bring myself to be on the same level as they are."

"They worship your God-Emperor thought," Krystal stated, "_You_ worship him?"

Jacques shook his head, "Not as a God…but as a powerful warrior. The Astartes have always viewed him as only the greatest of them all and the saviour of humanity, not like the Adeptus Ministorum - the Ecclesiarchy, who insist on deifying him and pressing humanity into worshipping him, with the threat of holy fire through Exterminatus."

'It all makes sense,' Krystal thought to himself, 'The Space Marines never refer to him as the _God_-Emperor.'

"But as I was saying," Jacques continued, "I am incapable of hate – whether towards my brothers-in-arms, those fanatics who believe wholeheartedly in Imperialism, the unfortunate souls ensnared by Chaos, and never towards non-humans."

He paused, in order to reflect on his words.

"Hate is a factor of the False God Khorne," Jacques said, "To hate is to serve him. The Imperium fights him, yet they hate and that fuels Chaos, creating a never-ending cycle."

The vixen gasped inwardly, remembering her encounter with Night Lord Sorcerer in her mind, about the short subject of 'evil' and how the Imperium is no different then Chaos when it comes to bloodshed and cruelty.

Krystal said softly as if dazed, "Order cannot exist without Chaos. And we insist on causing Chaos inadvertently through our hatred, and all the other things that make up the so-called Ruinous Powers."

Jacques looked at her curiously. "Do you feel hatred, Krystal?"

Krystal looked at him, eyes slightly watery as all this was nerve wrecking to say the least. "I try not to. For Cerinia's sake and for my family's sake."

Jacques caressed her left cheek delicately, which gently calmed her. She smiled again and she moved her head forward, pressing her lips on his forehead, giving a gentle kiss to the temple, her eyes closed as she did so. Jacques' eyes widened for a second as this immediately brought back memories of how one night he found her crying in her sleep from nightmare about Cerinia, and he whispered words of relief to her and soothed her gently. The next morning she thanked him and gave him a chaste kiss of appreciation on the cheek.

"A celo 0ei," she whispered gently to him in a language he immediately recognized, but couldn't fathom, "Raw rhekxoh."

They just stood there and hugged each other for five minutes, more than making up for a year's worth of separation, and both confident that the other would never leave the other again, and that not even the greatest evil in the universe can separate them. However, once Krystal left Jacques in his room she begun to look determined as she made a pact with herself.

'It's my turn to protect you now, Jacques,' she thought to herself, her face appearing hard, 'The only good human, the only one of your species, which gives a care about the universe. I'll help you prove that humanity is still 'humane'.'

She then realised that she now had that Cornerian soldier's wallet and dog-tags in the pocket of his new pants. She took it out and examined it and the photo inside of it. She then sighed.

'First,' she thought, 'I need to be the bearer of bad news.'

--

"Jakob?"

"Yes, Nina?"

"I'm tired."

"So am I."

"Can I ride on your shoulders?"

"I don't see why not."

After leaving the hanger areas of the mountain they had been travelling through the subterranean tunnels for little over an hour. La'Jakob believed that maybe he could restore the girl's memory of where she was based if they walked around a bit, seeing if she could remember anywhere familiar. So far nothing, and now he was carrying the tired girl on his shoulders, and no one appeared to object. Not him, the girl, or any Cornerian or Venomian soldier that passed, as if they were too busy to care that a lone human walked amongst them.

The little wolf girl pointed towards a large open door with the number 243 right beside it, which would lead into another subterranean refugee camp, "I think my mom might be there. She told me we would be living in section 2-4-3 until we are allowed to go back to our house."

Jakob nodded, "Alright, we'll look in there then."

Still hand in hand they stepped across the road and before the door. Immediately two Cornerian guards on duty stopped him, not looking at pleased to seem him at all.

"What's your business here, Imperial?"

The human frowned at being called that, responded calmly, "This little girl was separated from her mother. I am merely attempting to reunite the both of them."

The two guards looked at one another, both surprised and suspicious. The guard who had prompted him squatted down to Nina's head level and smiled warmly.

"Is this true?" he asked her kindly.

Tina nodded a smile, "Jakob's nice. He said he'd find my mommy for me."

The guard glanced up at Jakob, looking at him questioningly, before standing back up.

"What makes you think you can take a stroll anywhere you want, Imperial?"

"I am not an Imperial, honourable Cornerian," Jakob replied, his good eye twitching slightly, "I am a citizen of the Tau Empire. I am nothing like those zealous bastard-kin you dare brand me as being affiliated with."

The other guard smiled, "He called Imperials 'bastards'. He must be on our side, then."

The questioning guard saw a eager glint in his eye, before looking straight at Jakob in his remaining eye and answered, "Alright…"

He directed his smile towards the girl.

"…you can take this little girl to her mommy. Just be quick about it, Citizen of the Tau Empire."

Jakob smiled and nodded appreciatively as the gates leading into the camp opened and he stepped through with Nina in tow. The guard who had suggested he'd be let through suddenly looked as if realisation dawned upon him.

"Oh crap."

"What?"

"There's about ten-thousand people in this part of the complex…and all of them don't seem eager to see another human being."

"Meh…Trenchcoat's funeral."

The other guard glared at him and stated, "I think the only good human in existence is going to need backup."

The guard sighed and reached for his communicator, "Fine, I think I'll 'call' whatever's left of the fifth army for you, skinny-lover."

"Up yours, fascist."

--

Refugee camp designated 243 wasn't as depressing as one might first think of the term 'refugee.' Though it more or less resembled a subterranean shantytown, the place was amicably clean with those families lucky enough to escape and still be together enjoying one another's company as they tried to make the best of the situation anyway their can. Those unfortunate to have lost everything and someone/everyone they hold dear wallowed in miserable in their own private shack or corner, either planning on ways to wrack their terrible vengeance on humanity or how to stay alive another day longer.

La'Jakob looked solemnly from the gate leading into the camp, looking down at the girl still holding his hand. She looked up at him.

"Are you able to pick you mother out?"

She nodded, "Yes, Jakob. Can we go find her?"

"Best stay close to me, then"

They walked through the camp side by side and in hand in hand, both of them looking around to see if anyone will react to seeing their daughter in the presence of human. After some time people managed to notice the two of them passing by, and very soon everybody dropped what they were doing and stopped in their tracks. Jakob and Nina stopped in their tracks as all of them looked horrified to see the trenchcoat-wearing human standing there. They quickly moved away from him, creating a circle around him and the little girl. Nina tugged at La'Jakob's coat tail nervously, causing him to run a finger over her small left hand in comfort.

He cleared his throat and said, "I seek the parents of this little girl currently beside me. If any one of you has lost a little girl of Lylatian wolf descent, please step forward and reclaim her."

Everyone stared in bewilderment at the man at his bold statement, though some through their bewilderment also openly displayed their anger.

"Hey YOU!"

A big burly bulldog Cornerian pushed his way through the crowd towards La'Jakob and Nina, his front teeth bared and looking ready for war. Nina appeared frightened and hid behind Jakob's legs, who then gently pushed her aside towards the crow, who soon disappeared amidst the refugees. Jakob hoped that she would be able to find her mother by herself, seeing as now this is now a hostile situation.

"Oi, I'm talkin' to you skinny!"

Jakob looked back at bulldog, showing no emotion, "Here I am."

The bulldog stood before him and cracked his knuckles, "You've got some nerve showing your fuckin' ugly face around here, skinny boy!"

"Yeah, haven't you caused enough damage!" another person in the crowd cried out from behind him.

Jakob was genuinely sympathetic to the plight of the Cornerian, and so tried to display it. "I am sorry for whatever losses you sustained at the hand of the Chaos Space Marines, Cornerian. But you best not take it out on me…"

He then tapped the T'au symbol on the left breast of his trenchcoat.

"…because I am a soldier of the Tau Empire, and we seek to liberate those suffering under the strife of humanity's sins."

The bulldog looked at him, anger still in his eyes and knuckles bared.

"Yeah, well, allow me to wish you best, FASCIST!"

The bulldog male took a swing at Jakob, who stepped backwards to avoid, bumping into another Cornerian. That particular Cornerian growled in anger and shoved him forward towards the bulldog, who immediately swung another fist at him. La'Jakob raised a flat palm in order to block, before closing his fingers in so that he held the seething Cornerian's fist in place.

"I'm serious," Jakob said with reason, "I do not wish to hurt any of…AHHH!"

He felt something hard and blunt strike his head from behind, courtesy of the other Cornerian, now armed with a wooden plank. The crowd cheered when he keeled over forward onto the ground, left hand covering his now bruised back of the head while his right hand kept him up. The Cornerian armed with the 2x4 smiled and raised his foot and tried to bring it down on Jakob's chest. The human, however, managed to grab his foot…

"HEY! WHA…?"

…and twist it hard enough so that he broke it, the loud crack of bone being heard….

"ARGHHHH!"

…and the sound of Jakob's feet landing back on earth as he jumped back up onto his feet and performed a spiralling butterfly kick on the Cornerian, the crowd making his way for now airborne body to fall down flat on it's back but still alive. The bulldog bared his knuckles and attacked again, but this time Jakob spun around and grabbed him by the throat.

"AWWWK! HELP!"

Other male Cornerians moved in on the attack, but backed away when Jakob whipped out one of his SMGs from his trenchcoat and held it to his side, his face now a mix of calm, pain, and anger.

"Please do not force me to defend myself," Jakob pleaded, "I do not want to fire upon my own allies."

The bulldog's eyes widened at hearing someone with a near iron-grip strangle him while pleading with him and everyone else to not attack him with threat of being fired upon. Jakob looked at the bulldog with a frown, who begun to nod fiercely.

He chocked out, "OK….OK…I GIVE…I…"

Jakob then threw him down, his wristblades immediately jetting and causing people to gasp out loud and back away more. He looked around himself, realising what he was doing but justifying it over issues regarding his personal safety.

"I seek not to hurt anyone here!" he now shouted, "But if I have to, I will defend myself!"

Suddenly the blaring of sirens caused nearly everyone to jump in fright, except for La'Jakob who turned his head back towards to entrance to find a small military truck with Cornerian blue-uniformed military police with batons driving into the compound. Once it stopped they loaded out and waved their batons around, coercing the refugees to step back more.

_Please disperse,_ the loudspeaker on the truck blurted, _Return to your living quarters and your families. Violence will not be tolerated here._

Jakob breathed a sigh of relief as he retracted his blades and holstered his SMG, regretting ever arming himself against civilians.

"Jakob!"

He turned back towards the truck to find the blue vixen know as Krystal stepping towards him from the truck, worry evident on her face. Surprised at her reaction, Jakob turned to face her fully and crossed his arms.

"Princess Krystal," he greeted with a smile, "If I may say so you bring a shimmer of hope to these people with your mere presence."

Krystal's eyes widened with that overly polite gesture, causing her cheeks to flush a bit.

"What are you doing here?" La'Jakob asked her, dropping his smile.

She looked at him curiously, "I should be asking you that. I know few humans who would risk their lives by taking a stroll away from their superiors towards anxious and angry refugees."

He loosened his arms, letting them hang by his side. "Performing a civic service as the human representative and citizen of the Tau Empire. I was helping a little innocent soul be reunited with her loved ones, allowing her to be happy for a little while longer."

Krystal smiled sadly, "How ironic. I'm here to break news of a innocent soul's loved one's death, allowing her to be miserable possibly for life."

Jakob appeared glum, "Who is this unlucky individual?"

"Excuse me?"

Krystal's eyes widened as a blonde-haired female wolf and the little girl from the photo in the wallet, Nina, approached the both of them. The wolf woman was smiling widely with tears of joy streaming down her face as she held Nina in her arms, before letting Nina down to grasp Jakob by his hands and give them gentle squeezes.

Nina smiled, "He's the nice human who found me."

"Thank you, sir…for finding my daughter," the wolf woman sobbed in joy, "With Armando missing, she's the only thing I have left that gives my life purpose."

Krystal appeared grim when she addressed the young wolf woman, "Tiana Fitzroy?"

Tiana nodded, "Yes, that's me?"

"I have some bad news."

Her eyes widened as she clutched Nina to herself, "Is it about Armando?"

Both Krystal and Jakob gave a sideward glance at one another. Krystal closed her eyes and breathed gently, before opening her eyes revealing her sympathetic blue orbs. She swallowed, not used to being the bearer of bad news, and said, "Your husband was killed in action by cult groups."

She then produced the soldier's wallet and dog-tag and handed it to the now devastated young wife, with Nina looking up from clutching her mother's leg, not realising what Krystal had just said. Tiana sniffed, trying to hold back the tears, but when she opened the wallet to see the photo of herself, her daughter and her husband, she burst into tears and fell to her knees. Krystal and Jakob watched solemnly as kept herself level off the ground with her hands as she poured her grief out.

"Mommy? What's wrong?" Nina innocently asked as she clutched to her left arm.

Tiana looked over at her daughter and quickly embraced her, wrapping her arms around her tiny body and beginning to whisper words of comfort into her ear, Nina still not knowing what was wrong. Jakob sighed and looked away.

He thought, 'By the end, one more life to avenge."

Minutes later both human and Cerinian were walking away from the camp and through the large tunnels back towards the hangar areas, which connected to the main headquarters of the Venomian/Cornerian army. They were silent along the way, until Jakob noticed the look of sadness still embedded on her face and that her eyes were tracing her feet. He decided to break the ice as he gently rubbed the back of his bandaged head, luckily not suffering from a concussion or much damage at all.

"Princess Krystal?"

Krystal head raised, alarmed at being referred to her once-royal title, and turned to him.

"La'Jakob?"

"If it is any consolation, I feel how you do about Mrs. Armando and little Nina. It is a terrible tragedy to lose the people you love, and to grow up without a parent."

Feeling his words hit a little frighteningly too close to home, Krystal asked sounding blunt, "You do?"

Jakob nodded, "Believe me when I say I do. Whatever is left of my humanity be torn from me should I lie."

Krystal smiled lightly, but wary of how he described 'losing' his humanity, "I'll have to take your word for it."

Jakob returned the smile, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Krystal chuckled lightly and stopped, keeping sure to stay off the road to allow supply and transport trucks to pass through unimpeded.

"You don't have to call me that," Krystal told him, "Just Krystal, or Krys, will do."

Somehow La'Jakob felt glad she didn't cling on to her title. He nodded again, before feeling his bandaged head. Krystal was once again concerned.

"How is your head?" she asked.

"I am surprised I am not concussed, Krystal," Jakob replied, "It was struck with a wooden plank used for building, yet I am not concussed. And while we are discussing about camp number 243, I am still grateful you came to my assistance."

"Oh?"

"Once again, thank you for…AWK!"

The Gue'vesa suddenly felt his heart stop beating in his chest for a second, immediately putting a hand to his chest and backed up towards the wall, pain evident in his eyes as he struggled to breath. Krystal was startled at something seemingly unseen strike him in the heart.

"Jakob? JAKOB!"

In a panic, Krystal rushed over to the young man's side when he slumped against the wall and skidded downwards. She grabbed him by the shoulders in an attempt to stop him from scraping against the wall any further. She pulled him away from the wall and gently laid him on the ground as Jakob attempted to regulate his own breathing.

"Jakob? Can you hear me?" she exclaimed, before she cried into the distance, "Someone help us!"

She then felt a hand shoot up towards her left cheek. She looked down to find him smiling up at her reassuringly, and breathing normally now.

"It's…alright…Krystal," Jakob said, "I am okay now, it sometimes happens now and then before it's time for treatment."

Krystal was amazed at how calm he now looked, before she stared up from him again to see if anyone heeded her call. But to her frustration and bewilderment nobody had the nerve to stop what they were doing to help him, possibly because of the fact he was a human. Jakob struggled to get back up, but Krystal helped him onto his feet. He brushed some dirt off his trenchcoat, before he checked his watch.

It read 4:39:35, and counting down.

"You scared me for a second, La'Jakob," Krystal said, "It looked like you were having a heart attack."

He smiled sadly, "You're nearly right, Krystal."

She appeared shocked, "Huh?"

"But it is far worse than simple heart problems, though someone like me appears to no be able to contract such bodily failure at my age or physical well-being," Jakob continued, "But my…circumstances…say otherwise."

Krystal looked at him with concern as he begun walking again, with her immediately rushing to catch up to him, "What do you mean? What _is_ wrong with young?"

The Human Fire Warrior known as La'Jakob sighed and looked at her closely, "I have **Nerve Rot**."

"Nerve Rot?"

"It's a condition which affects the nervous system of the body, causing rigid muscle movements and spasms, impaired motor movement and erratic heartbeat. If untreated, the muscles and nervous system would gradually break down, causing both paralysis and eventual heart failure, resulting in a slow, yet painless death," Jakob explained with haunting calmness.

Krystal was taken back by Jakob's description of his impairment, "How do you…deal with it?"

"Two things can hold Nerve Rot at bay," Jakob explained further, "Continuos rigorous exercise in stimulating the muscles and the heart, or during times when I need to sleep or, worse, be inactive, I inject myself with powerful steroid solution, which has the same results as exercising. But…"

He appeared ashamed.

"I hate taking drugs, even it does guarantee I will live for another thirty or forty years. To me it is morally reprehensible to put strange stuff into my body."

Krystal was about to open her mouth to tell him how sorry she was for his condition, but Jakob interrupted her.

Jakob smiled lightly again, "You do not need to display your pity, I was unlucky enough to acquire such a sickness during my time on planet Geewing nearly six years ago."

"May I ask what happened?" Krystal asked, now concerned for her newfound friend.

Jakob now appeared glum, "I cannot tell, Krystal. For I am not sure what had happened either. Events were erratic, foreboding and fast paced that by the time I realised what was happening…"

He waved his left hand over his eye implant.

"…I had lost one of my eyes as well. And very nearly my life."

"I see," Krystal said, biting her lip gently as he had answered another one of her questions she was yet to ask him, "I…I don't know what to say, really."

Jakob saw that he was making her uncomfortable, "I apologise if I have gone into too much detail. I feel as if you had the right to know, seeing as we will now be working with each other for the duration of this war."

"I understand," Krystal nodded with a smile, "All the more reason to look out for you out there."

La'Jakob's remaining eye brightened and he smiled again. He stopped and bowed his head, "Thank you. In return I will make sure _you_ will come to no harm."

Surprised by his polite gesture, no doubt a Tau show of respect, her smile widened a bit and she returned the bow. It then faded when he noticed he was looking at her from head to toe, as if studying her, causing her to raise her eyebrows with interest. She cleared her throat gently.

"Oh," Jakob responded quickly, "I…I apologise."

"Was there anything else?"

"Yes…I know I asked you this before but…"

He prepared himself for what he was about to say.

"Are you sure we haven't met before?"

The vixen's eyes widened at being asked that seemingly impossible question. There was no absolutely no way possible that Krystal would have met this young Tau-aligned human anywhere in her history, unless he was on Cerinia when she was younger and unable to remember.

"Were you…on Cerinia?" she asked.

Jakob shook his head, "No."

Her eyes softened, almost sadly, "No…I don't think we've met each other before two days ago."

Looking embarrassed, La'Jakob rubbed his neck gently, "I…I see. But, you seem so familiar to me. Like as if…we made contact in a previous life or something like that."

Krystal crossed her arms and responded, now sounding sincere, "Somehow I feel the same way you do. Back on the Infinity you did look like someone I had met once. I swore that you looked familiar."

She then smiled again, this time warmly.

"Maybe we did meet each other in a previous life…or from another plane of existence."

Jakob smiled as well, "Let us just leave it at that."

Krystal's communicator buzzed and she answered. It was audio only, indicating the broadcast was from a human source.

_Krystal, _Jacques' voice came through, _We are waiting for you at the Base Meeting Room. If you have found La'Jakob, we would appreciate you grace us with your presence._

Still smiling, Krystal answered, "We'll be right there Jacques. See you soon."

The transmission ended, leaving her to look back at a confused Jakob.

"Is…is this Jacques Mortensen a friend of yours?" Jakob asked her as they begun walking again, a bit faster now, "I saw how the both of you interacted before the Ethereal's presence."

"We're best friends, Jakob," Krystal replied, "He is my oldest friend, companion and protector."

How Jakob looked at the vixen clearly conveyed to her that he thought she was crazy.

"He saved my life during the closing hours of the Cerinia Conflict when I was young. His entire company was wiped out and he risked his own life and heresy in making sure I got off the planet before it was destroyed."

"He…he saved your life. F…for real?" Jakob asked, stuttering with disbelief, "A Space Marine? He who bears an Inquisitorial symbol on his armour."

Still walking, Krystal nodded as she tried to get through to the now amazed human, "He was performing his assigned duty from the Chapter at first, but when we met each other years later, he begun to think of me as a friend rather than his mission."

Krystal then smiled again.

"He is like my older brother."

Jakob's eyes widened in disbelief. Surely to him no Space Marine would think of making friend with anyone non-human. Though there was the occasional alliance with xeno species against a bigger foe such as Chaos or the Necrons, but never such intimacy as this. He shook his head as he tried to comprehend such a bizarre bond.

Feeling his mind being overburdened, he decided to change the subject, "I saw his scars and his eyes briefly when he took off his helmet. He and Fox McCloud…"

He shooks his head gently.

"…they almost share the same eyes."

Krystal looked at him questioningly, "Huh?"

--

Surrounded by their unarmed Space Marine and Commissariat escorts, the human Imperial delegation stepped through the doors into the massive circular war room. In the centre of the large square table able to seat up to fifty people was a holographic projector, which could broadcast images high above their heads. Nero immediately sneered at the amount of technology present, and the seemingly cold, lifeless décor and colour (which was a mix of dark blue and black) of the room in stark contrast to their own elaborate religiously uplifting designs and holy machinery.

"You should not let them know of your disgust, Lord Admiral," Sturnn said to him smirkingly, "You might hurt our hosts' feelings."

"Bah," Nero snapped, although quietly, "It won't do them justice in the end."

"And why not, Lord Admiral?"

Calgar opened his mouth to say that passage but instead he was interrupted by an aged rabbit in a red army uniform, who asked that question instead of Calgar. He appeared from out of view behind the holographic projector at the other end of the table and stepped towards the Imperials. More Cornerian and Venomian officers stepped into view and stood before their seats on the north end of the table.

"Peppy Hare of Star Fox," Calgar greeted him, "You surprise the Imperium by gracing us with your presence instead of General Pepper."

"Well, you could say last year finally convinced him he had done all he can during his service to Corneria," Peppy replied ruefully, "And right now I hope he's bunkered down on his resort world at the western part of Lylat."

General Sturnn and Commissar Plymouth stepped forward and presented themselves before Peppy. The rabbit saw they were the heads of the Imperial Guard here and decided that respect was in order. He gave the sharpest salute he himself couldn't believe he could manage, and was surprised when Sturnn returned the salute, with the Commissar pulling out his sabre and held it to his side, which was to Peppy possibly the Commissar's way of saluting.

Nero and some of the Imperial officers present once again appeared shocked as Sturnn said, "General Sturnn of the Cadian 412th Regiment of the Imperial guard."

Peppy held the salute as he responded, "General Peppy Hare of the Cornerian Army Defence Forces. And if I may direct you to your seats behind me…"

Peppy stepped out of the way and allowed the Imperials to take their seats at the southern end of the table, at the least the 'purebred' Imperial Guard officers sat down, while the Space Marines stood behind their less-enhanced brothers-in-arms, partly in due to their enormous sizes, especially with Calgar. The Cornerian officers all sat down as well.

"Where are the Tau and the heretics?" Nero asked without hiding his contempt, emphasising what he referred the Jacques, Alexander and their forces to as.

"Right here."

The door leading into the western side of the room was opened and revealed Star Fox, Jacques, Alexander, Vash and the Eden fleet officers. They stepped forward into the light and approached their seats, sitting down. Peppy nodded towards Fox, acknowledging his presence as he sat beside Krystal, moving a hand over to her under the table. All eyes then turned to the eastern side, and seconds later the door opened and in stepped the Tau delegation, with Aun'shi and O'Shovah stepping forward, followed by Water Caste diplomats. Jakob were present as well, and stood behind his superiors besides his fellow Fire Warrior escorts.

The Commissariat cadets kept to the edges of the room behind their superiors and stood to attention, watching over them. The same went for Calgar's Honour Guard, who stood behind their Lord Macragge, Chief Librarian and Master of the Sanctity. The Fire Warriors were at hand as the Aun, the Water Caste and O'Shovah took their seats. La'Jakob kept to the Ethereal's side, feeling several of the Imperial officers from before still stare disdainfully at him. He simply rolled his eyes in annoyance.

'First chance they get they will probably try to burn me at the stake,' La'Jakob thought, appearing bored, 'Suppose that first chance I get I will tear the heart out of the first Imperial that tries to betray us.'

Peppy was the first to speak, standing from his seat to address the entire meeting.

"First off, I want to thank you all for coming here and giving us the chance to settle our differences through simple talk."

The Imperials and Tau all the begun to murmur amongst themselves, while the Space Marines, Star Fox and Eden officers looked at him attentively.

"I really do mean it, by the way…"

The Imperials and the Tau felt their attention drawn to him impeccably now.

"When I say 'thank you', I generally mean it. This would probably be the only time in history where humans and non-humans alike would interact with one another across a conference table. And Lylat feels honoured that you are doing so here instead of your own galaxy where it continues to tear itself apart through war."

Calgar smiled, "Circumstances or if you prefer, fate; brought us all here. Now, one must ask the obvious question."

Sturnn nodded and asked bluntly, "Who's keeping a leash on the apes? Last I heard the dogs and the monkeys were are each other throats and tails?"

Peppy turned around in his seat and waved his finger forward, "Preator Oikonny?"

No doubt Star Fox was surprised (and in Falco's case, peeved) to hear that name again. Jacques and Fox's eyes widened in surprise, and they said together, "Oikonny?"

Fox's hand found itself on his blaster holstered to his side and Jacques clinched the gauntlet with the storm bolter built into it. They looked over at one another and glared, Fox bearing his teeth almost in a feral like manner, making Peppy cringe gently.

They then all heard as sigh as footsteps sounded off from a darkened corner, "General Hare, I prefer to be called by my mother's surname."

One of the Cornerian simian pilots from the battle above Corneria stepped out of the shadows, the mere sight causing Fox to calm down, and his voice immediately reminded him of someone else. Jacques relaxed as well.

"And who may you be?" Jacques asked.

The simian stood behind Peppy and responded, "Dash Bowman, recently elected Preator of Venom. If you must know, I'm the one keeping the 'leash' on the apes."

He then smiled at Star Fox.

"It's good to see you escaped from Corneria," Dash said, sounding rather pleased, "I hope I gave you enough cover back there."

"That was you," Krystal asked, then bowed her head gently and responded thoughtfully, "Thank you very much."

Dash nodded, "Alright, General Hare. I think we should get down to business now…"

Sturnn raised his hand and said, "Before we do, one question: Why did Hare refer to you as Oikonny?"

Dash sighed and scratched the side of his head, "My uncle is Andrew Oikonny, and my grandfather is none other than Andross."

Calgar's appeared interested, 'Well…that is what I would call a surprise.'

'Well, rub my beak into the dirt and call me crap,' Falco sniggered mentally, 'I thought I was seeing a younger version of that hairy, disembodied bastard.'

Nero was infuriated at the sight of him, and pointed out, "It was your uncle who was a worshipper of Chaos, particularly that of the Destroyer himself, Khorne. How do we know you and the apes won't attempt to taint us the first chance you get, xeno?"

Sturnn gritted his teeth and was tempted to punch him in the head in an effort to keep his xenophobic tongue in his mouth. However instead, he noticed Dash smiled and nudge towards Jacques.

"The Grey Knight here would have sensed it already and try to 'cleanse' me," Dash replied calmly as he faced Jacques, "Isn't that right, Mortensen?"

"Correct," Jacques replied, then added, "Though I would not have killed you right, rather I would try to purify you with the power of Krystal's staff. And how do you know who I am?"

"General Hare would have told me who you are if I didn't already know the superhuman who chased my uncle through the Immaterium and onto one of the worlds within the Eye of Terror and skewered him. It's public knowledge who you are among the Venomian simians, and a calculated 70 percent of the population fear you."

Jacques looked emotionless as he asked, "Should I be proud?"

"At any rate, now is the time for strategy," Dash said, then called out, "Lights…"

The lights in the conference hall darkened, and immediately the holographic projector into the centre of the table broadcasted an image of the entire Lylat System. Several of the worlds and sectors including Corneria, MacBeth, half of the Cython Sector, and Sector X were completely blotched over with red, signalling their occupation by enemy forces. Other worlds including Fichina, Fortuna and Katina were half coloured with red, pointing out they were still being defended. Projection of several fleet battlegroups deploying from Corneria and taking alternate paths across Lylat towards the outer edge were also broadcasted.

Peppy cleared his throat, "As you can see, the Chaos invasion of our system begun when they somehow took control of the Beltino Orbital Gate and poured through, immediately descending on Corneria and taking our military by surprise. Continued communications with the worlds outlying Corneria suggest that defences are still holding, but casualty reports point out that they are not going to last."

"How long until the mont'au finally conquer this system?" Aun'shi inquired.

"Only a matter of days," Peppy replied, "Which is why that now that the Imperium is here we will deploy immediately to secure points of defence against this incursion. But before we do…"

He addressed the Chief Librarian Tigerius.

"We would like to know what we are truly up against?"

Tigerius nodded and tapped into his centuries worth of knowledge, "We are possibly confronting Abaddon the Despoiler's next Black Crusade, which is considered fresh from his previous foray just months earlier – The 13th Crusade if you will. No doubt that this 14th Black Crusade once again has support of all the Traitor Legions in existence, as well as the Four Chosen Legions dedicated to each of the Four blasphemous and false Gods of Chaos."

Fox licked his lips and said, "Care to elaborate?"

Tigerius leaned back in his seat as he continued to speak, filling the room with a sense of dread already felt dozens of times over.

"The World Eaters – The Chosen Legion of Khorne, Chaos God of Blood, War and Hatred. They favour melee combat above everything else and half of the legion is made up of Bezerkers, vicious fallen Marines who have given in to their bloodlust and every time they kill, they sacrifice to their Dark God. If there is anything relieving about them is that they do not have any sorcerers among them and believe sorcery is weak compared to physical prowess."

'Oh, that is relieving,' Falco snickered mentally, 'Won't have to worry about my butt-feathers getting' fried.'

"Emperor's Children – The Chosen of Slaanesh, Chaos God of Pleasure, Excess and Sensualism, which is among other degrading, slothful stuff," Tigerius continued, "It wields the power to easily seduce and draw the weak-spirited and hearted into it's cause, often throw it's physical sexual manifestations in it's armies of allied Daemonettes."

"And that is another point of troubling concern," Cassius continued, "We estimate that because of long ancient human sexual views on kemonos or animal/human hybrids no doubt that Slaanesh himself would double it's efforts on ascertaining more Lylatian cult groups than any of the other Dark Gods."

Sturnn chuckled, "So what they could tempt us? Imperial records state the last batch of kemono enthusiasts was burnt alive at the year 345.M38. The mere thought of believing kemonos as mere sexual objects is absolutely crazy."

"If what you say is true," Fox said, looking over at Krystal concernedly, "Then we'll have to stay on our toes."

Krystal's eyes widened, 'Oh Cerinia protect me. The Emperor's Children would think I'm the pinup girl for their twisted, sick desires.'

Jacques realized that as well, and made a mental note to not let her out of his sight if they go up against the servants of Slaanesh.

"The Death Guard – The Legion of Nurgle, Chaos God of Death, Decay and Disease. Their entire legion and cults are teaming with all kinds of wretched diseases and ailments, designed to infect and plague those brave or stupid enough to get close to melee. They are almost made up of Plague Marines, who are all immune to pain."

"And that would make them all difficult to slow down, then," O'Shovah said, then smiled, "That is fine by me. I prefer a challenge once in a while."

Fox and Peppy exchanged worried glances, the same between Sturnn and Plymouth. Nero appeared to be slightly more apprehensive, while Alexander shook his head softly, remembering the Tau back on Kronus weren't as complicated as Commander Farsight himself. Aun'shi noticed La'Jakob looking at him with an interested, supportive look. Aun'shi narrowed his eyes, and Jakob immediately resumed looking disciplined and stood to attention.

The Space Marines didn't seem interested in what O'Shovah had to say, and Tigerius continued with the briefing, with possibly the most intriguing deity of all.

"The Thousand Sons – The Legion of Tzeentch – The Changer of Wars, Chaos God of Sorcery, Hope and, of course Change…"

Dash raised a finger and interrupted, "I'm sorry…did you say 'hope.'"

"Yes."

"What is so chaotic about hope?"

"Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment, Bowman," Cassius quoted, "To believe that something would come along to set things right is dangerous, as we humanity must safeguard ourselves as well as pray to the Emperor to show the way."

"I…see," Dash rubbed his chin, "Continue."

"The Thousand Sons are masters of sorcery and bending the warp to suit their own dark cravings for knowledge in the dark, arcane arts. Half the legion are all powerful psykers and sorcerers while the other half are their mindless, formless minions – former Marine reduced to automatons by the rogue Librarian Ahriman and his most dangerous experiment – the Rubric."

"He sounds nasty," Fox stated, elbows propped up on the table as he leaned forward.

"Believe me, you would not want to meet him or any of his followers," Tigerius pointed out, "And hopefully we will not, as he no longer serves the Chaos Gods and rather seeks to fulfil his own ambitions. To be the most powerful, knowledgeable sorcerer in the whole, entire universe."

Calgar stood from his seat and spoke, "The other traitor legions all serve the False Gods equally, a pantheon if you will – the most prominent being the **Word Bearers** and Abaddon's own Black Legion."

"We've already taken out the Alpha Legion and the Night Lords," Fox said, "And they were both unusually too easy."

Alexander shook his head, "We took both of those traitorous legions by surprise, and there's bound to be more companies around. We must stay vigilante in case they return."

Peppy nodded, then looked up at the hologram of the Lylat System.

"Now that we know what we are up against, we must plan our moves carefully," Peppy explained, "We must concentrated on increasing the defenses on the planets and defense stations we still hold, reinforce the planets currently under attack and commence retaking worlds already under Chaos control with discretion."

"What about Venomian defenses?" Dash said, "In case a heretical fleet guns for Venom?"

"The Eden fleet can bolster the orbital defenses, Colonel," Alexander said, "And the Kronus 1st can be stationed on the planet's surface. It can be it's planetary defense force if you will."

He looked over at Sturnn, who stared back curiously.

"We don't have the resources to take on the Ruinous Powers, and I think we should stay out of the true Guardsmen of the Emperor's way," Alexander continued. He was hoping to spare his men from retribution should they be mixed with the Cadian 412th, and to instead keep them posted on Venom.

Sturnn shrugged, "That's fine by me."

He then turned to Peppy, then glanced up at the Lylat projection.

"MacBeth and Fichina," Sturnn pointed up at the 'train' planet and then the ice planet, "They're the closest worlds from our position. I'm deploying the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions, with attached Armored Companies, one each. 1st and 2nd will deploy to MacBeth. The 3rd will deploy to Fichina."

Dash cleared his throat as he stepped closer to the light, "Why two battalions to MacBeth?"

Sturnn sighed, "Judging from the amount of activity detected around the planet according to this projection, it's being hit hard."

"That is true," Calgar said, "1st and 2nd Battalions with have twenty-five Brothers attached, as one as one Scout Marine Squad. The remaining half will support the 3rd Battalion."

"If it will help," Aun'shi spoke up, "The Cadre will split and deploy alongside you. You could use the long-range firepower and witness first hand what drives the Greater Good forward beyond our own galaxy."

Falco smirked, "Oh goody."

Nero twiddled his fingers, "Our fleet will spread out amongst our controlled systems and make sure no more Chaos incursion will incur. I suggest we keep the 4th and 5th Battalions in reserve on those ships."

"Agreed," Jacques said, "Hare, Bowman, what of your forces?"

"We'll deploy separately from the Imperial Guard and the Ultramarines at the same hot zones as backup, and where they can rout the enemy if they try to flee from the Imperial forces. They will also be deployed to the border worlds and make sure no enemy forces leave the system. And to greet the Imperial reinforcements once they arrive."

"And let us hope they do not get blasted to oblivion by them," O'Shovah said, then addressed, "You did mention to them that you would be allied with Lylat, is that right General?"

Sturnn appeared plain as he replied, "You would like to believe that, would you?"

He then turned to Pepper.

"No, we skipped that detail," he continued, "I hope you'll understand."

Peppy shook his head, "Unfortunately. Mortensen…?"

Jacques stood up from his seat abruptly, startling nearly everyone present.

"Do you have a problem with these arrangements?"

Jacques shook his head, "No, General I do not. United, we stand a chance against the Black Crusade and will doubt keep them out of the Emperor's realm, and at the same time save billions of lives from the foul clutches of Warmaster Abaddon?"

Peppy then addressed Fox.

"McCloud? Will you agree to this alliance?"

The vulpine smiled widely, "I will."

"Bowman? Will Venom cooperate with the Imperium and the Tau Empire?"

"So long as Chaos get wiped out from Lylat?"

"General Sturnn?"

"Our combined forces will rout Chaos from the system. You and your troops will be designated as friendly for the duration of the alliance."

"Admiral Nero? Will the Imperial Navy assist?"

"We will…grudgingly…assist with space and aerial operations."

"Governor-Militant Alexander?"

"The Kronus 1st will keep order on Venom, and I myself will gladly see that my leadership is put to good use on the campaign."

Sturnn looked up at Plymouth, who looked back and nodded. He then said, "In that eventuality, you can lead 3rd Battalion to Fichina, so longer as a Commissariat unit is dispatched to monitor you."

Alexander eyes widened a bit, before he nodded in agreement.

Peppy continued, "Shas'O Shovah and Aun'shi?"

"The Tau Empire and the Farsight Enclaves will stand beside Lylat, for the future of both our nations" Aun'shi declared, "You have our word."

Peppy appeared determined as he stood from his seat now, "Alright then, as of right now War has now been officially declared on the Forces of Chaos by the Coalition – consisting of Corneria, Venom, the Imperium of Man and the Tau Empire. All hostilities that may have existed between our nations have now been put aside, at least until the threat is over. Are we clear?"

"Yes!" everyone exclaimed.

Peppy smiled slightly, "We will deploy our forces in approximately four hours. Until then, I suggest that all of you prep yourselves for your respective theatres of war. Oh, and I forgot to ask…"

He turned back to Fox.

"Where will Star Fox go first in assisting the counterattack?"

Fox looked as hard as steel, "If intel on the Chaos troop deployment is true, then we'll head for MacBeth first. If it's getting hit the hardest, the defenses down there could use our help."

"I will be accompanying you," Jacques said, "If you do not mind my presence?"

"Never."

He then turned to Alexander and Dash, "Will you be able to handle the Guard to be deployed to Fichina?"

Alexander smiled and crossed his arms, "I think we can handle it. We have no reason to no longer serve the Emperor."

Peppy then stated, "This meeting is adjourned."

--

And so that Coalition was formally created, and in the space of four hours all available troops readied themselves for war. The Ultramarines said their prayers beside the Chaplains as they loaded up their boltguns with their sanctified ammunition and prepared their war machines and sacred Dreadnoughts for deployment. The Imperial Guardsmen within the fleet charged up their lasguns, loaded up their heavy weapons and divided themselves according to their platoons and battlegroups, ready to be divided in retaking Lylat. Meanwhile, their cousin within the Kronus 1st landed on Venom and found themselves being divided to guard the underground refugee camps and communities in the event that Chaos attacked Venom directly.

The Tau readied their powerful technology and weaponry, while their Farsight allies retreated to their quarters on board the Infinity, silently preparing both their pulse, plasma and melee weapons for war.

The Imperial Navy steered themselves away from the Venomian defence zone and prepared to scatter themselves away from Venom, their respective armies of Guardsmen ready to deployment.

Before all this were to happen however, Star Fox itself found itself standing stubbornly outside the door into the conference hall, waiting for it's leader to step out and join them. Krystal was confused when they left the conference room, with Fox and Peppy now alone together in there, with Fox having told her and the other members of Star Fox that he wanted to speak to Peppy alone. She hoped that he would relay what Peppy would tell him to her and the other guys, as she too was curious as to what had happened to his father James so many years ago. She looked over towards Falco, Katt, Slippy, and Jacques, all looking equally questionable as well. Krystal could see that Jacques looked anxious, which was hardly like him.

"Hey Jacques," Katt called out to him, "Judging by that look on your mug, you know something about what Peppy mentioned in the hangar."

The Grey Knight shook his head, "Only what we heard once we arrived. And somehow it will affect Fox in more ways than one and that has me concerned."

"You think Fox will spill the beans once he comes out of there?" Falco asked.

"If he feels like he needs to," Jacques replied, "If he does not, I will simply examine his mind and find out for myself."

Krystal frowned, remembering La'Jakob telling her about him prying into his mind, "I don't think Fox would appreciate that."

Jacques' eyebrows raised at the expression and tone of voice Krystal used. He complied, "No he would not."

Falco was surprised at the exchange, "Huh?"

"Brother Mortensen?"

All eyes turned to see an Honour Guard Ultramarine approach them, holding what appeared to be a gold-encrusted ornate sword case in both his hand. Jacques stepped forward towards him, and the Ultramarine much to the surprise of everyone bowed his head slightly and presented the case to him.

"The Lord Maccrage wanted this to be respectfully returned to you," the Honour Guard responded, "He said you dropped this on the day of your Initiation."

Curious, Jacques took the case and was about to open it when the Guard stopped him.

"He also says for you to not open it until you once again plunge into battle."

Jacques nodded and took the case under his left arm, replying, "You have my thanks, Brother."

He then turned to the others behind him and appeared hard, giving him that look he always has before going into battle.

"Let us prepare then! MacBeth awaits!"

Slippy smiled nervously, "We'll be right…behind you out there."

Jacques shook his head and smiled down at the frog, "Not behind me…beside me."

--

Peppy was still seated as he watched Fox pace around the table, mentally prepping himself for what Peppy had to say to him. Fox was somehow feeling on edge, nervous about how this involved his father and the Imperium, as well as this mysterious (to him) Tau Empire. Peppy frowned when he saw that Fox wasn't going to stand still long enough to talk to.

"Fox, stand still. You're making me dizzy."

The vulpine did so, facing Peppy from the other side of the table.

"Now we can talk."

Fox crossed his arms, "What about? The weather, the sports, finances?"

"Relax, Fox."

"I'm as relaxed as I'm going to get," Fox stated annoyed, "Somehow that you and dad had adventures within the Imperium itself and the fact that you, or him, never told me about it until, conveniently, the worst aspects of that galaxy decide to come here."

He was slowly becoming angrier.

"What the hell is up with that?"

Now Peppy felt his patience with the normally calm vulpine wearing thin, "If you just relax for a minute, I'll tell you everything. And I mean, _everything_!"

"You better! I feel like I'm losing my mind."

Fox closed his eyes and relaxed, and for good measure waving his hands around as if circulating the air around him. He then sat down and composed himself some more as he smiled with utter malice at Peppy.

"I'm calm now," Fox said, "And I'm listening."

"After we returned from the Segmenta of the Imperium me and your father swore we would never speak of our year of never-ending conflict ever again. He was shaken through experiencing a year exactly like a human and he made me promise never to tell you, because he didn't want you to ever know that humans…or such a thing as Eternal War, ever existed. And right now I'm breaking my word because it may save your life in the long run."

Peppy saw Fox's eyes tense, bringing himself to continue.

(A/N: I know I've probably messed up Peppy's age. I'll retcon it in previous chapter's later on)

"38 years ago, when I was 22 and James was 24, we graduated from the Cornerian Military Academy and became were fresh Airmen for the Air Force under Colonel Pepper. That was when it happened, and that it shook the System long after the Kew War and before the Lylat Wars

"A rogue Venomian Clan Leader, The Maquis, had stolen a decommissioned tactical atomic from a storage complex on MacBeth and threatened to detonate it on a civilian target unless Corneria finally recognised Venom as a major power. Naturally the military responded, and we were part of the Fighter Group sent into to bring him in, dead or alive."

"And naturally, something went wrong," Fox groaned.

Peppy nodded and continued, "Me, James and…would you believe it…Pigma Dengar, as well as two other Cornerian pilots, managed to get close to shoot him down just outside the Lylatian borders leading to Kew. That was then that The Maquis activated an experimental warp drive engine on his freighter and was about to jump out of there alone, but we followed him into the unknown.

"Later we would find out that this certain drive engine drew upon the power of the Immaterium – the Warp, and this slingshoted us all into the next galaxy and smack right in the middle of Segmentum Ultima and the Borders of the Damocles Gulf – and the Imperium of Man."

Fox's eyes widened, "Oh dear God."

"Yes, we prayed to God that it was just a nightmare," Peppy muttered, "And we were all immediately captured by the Ordo Xenos, the Alien Hunter branch of the Inquisition, and were…were…'familiarised with humanity'."

"They treated you like shit?"

"I think excrement is treated much better than non-humans," Peppy stated with much apprehension. "Those two other pilots died quickly, and we three were about to give up on life after a week of that Hell until the Tau under Commander Farsight attacked the Inquisitorial palace and broke us out. The Maquis escaped with the atomic, now driven mad by the torturous machinations of the Ecclesiarchy, and threatened to blow up the nearest _human_ civilian target.

"That would be an act of war between Lylat and the Imperium. We explained ourselves to O'Shovah and he agreed to help, lest Maquis attack a Tau sector in his madness."

Fox was taken back by Peppy's near epic storytelling, managing to utter, "Wow. What happened then?"

"With James at the helm, you could say things were a blur. We spent months pursuing the Maquis, avoiding Imperium, Orks and other horrors this galaxy threw at us. By the time we caught up to the Maquis he had just had his head crushed between the palms of Calgar and the Ultramarines. They disposed of the atomic and threatened to kill us for threatening the Emperor's realm unless…"

He wiped under his left eye with his finger.

"…we broke into the same Inquisitorial fortress we were held in and gathered evidence that the Ordo Xeno were conducting illicit genetic experiment involving genetically enhancing human DNA with alien in the hopes of creating a new kind of alien-hunting Space Marine with their natural senses and abilities intact. James got himself captured and it was another week before he managed to escape himself, along with a Tau human helper."

Fox felt tears roll down his eyes, just imagining what kind of Hell his father would have been through…twice.

"We got the evidence back to Calgar, and he allowed us to return back to Lylat through the same space tear the Maquis had created in coming to Segmentum Ultima. Cassius and Tigerius made us swear not to tell our superiors about what had happened with the Ordo Xenos through threat of holy war on Lylat. We gave our word…and we returned to Lylat as heroes."

"I can imagine so," Fox said, "And that was it."

Peppy nodded, "You could say life resumed afterwards. Your father soon met your mother and years later had you; I meet my wife Vivy and had Lucy. By the time you were born, Falco would be a one-year-old and Slippy wouldn't have been far away from coming into this world. Need I say more?"

Fox breathed harshly, letting everything that Peppy said sink into his strained main. He now looked more than high-strung.

"This is all still fucked, though."

Peppy was shocked, hearing that particular word come from Fox having listened to Peppy's epic about himself and the vulpine's father, "Excuse me?"

Fox stood up and rubbed his forehead, "Why is this all happening, though? Just when we were getting our lives back together and Venom wasn't going to launch another blitzkrieg anytime soon; those rotting devil-worshippers come to ruin our lives. Why do they do it?"

He placed his free hand on the table as he leaned forward in his grief.

"Why is nearly everything in the next galaxy so goddamn…evil? It's hard to tell whose worse: The Imperium, or the Forces of Chaos we all agreed to stand against. Do they hate peace? Can they even feel anything besides the need to make war?"

Peppy appeared sympathetic to Fox's plight, "War is all that humanity knows, Fox. If I didn't know better I'd say they've been fighting for the right to exist all their lives. The Chaos we fight against is what I believe to be the physical manifestations of our antithesis, just like how Tigerius explained. Those Daemon Gates in Lylat proves that you can't escape Chaos – further explaining that order cannot exist without…"

Peppy then sighed.

"…well you get the picture. Besides…"

He smiled as Fox turned his head to face him.

"If Jacques is any proof that there is good in humanity, I don't know what is."

Fox chuckled darkly, "Yeah…if you happen to be messed in the head from birth and can't tell your own species from your supposed enemy, which is to say _everything else_, then to you all is right with the universe."

"What?" Peppy's exclamation rang through his own ears, "What are you…?"

"Jacques said he was raised amongst aliens, and alien-sympathising humans, and if his mind is that powerful I'm sure they hard a hard time trying to brainwash him and teaching him how to hate," Fox was he one to now explain. He then shooks his head and chuckled lightly, "No wonder Krystal fancies him."

Peppy now stood up, looking at Fox dumbfounded. Fox now appeared deep in thought as he continued.

"I…I thought we already went through this," Peppy said hesitantly.

"I mean…he saved her life like some knight in shining armour on not one, but two occasions; second time I could have jumped in, but I didn't. He speaks to her as if she was still royalty. She enjoys hanging around him and shows him nothing but loyalty and kindness even above me and the other guys. "

He paused to take a breath, noticing Peppy staring at him questioningly.

"And every time I see them together…it's like they have their own little world, and barely notice me at all."

Peppy frowned, believing Fox to be bordering on jealously now. He had always sensed how Jacques and Krystal felt for one another, and as far as he was concerned it was a brother sister bond in a spiritual sense. And he believed that the both of them were clear-minded and pure-hearted enough to be repulsed if they felt something more for one another, possibly believing it to be a form of incest. Besides, Jacques wouldn't have been able to feel anything romantic for Krystal…for all the right reasons.

Peppy walked up to Fox and patted his shoulder, "Listen, Fox. You have to be rationale about this. You can't let your personal feelings cloud your mind and judgement. Whenever I see you and Krystal, I see that she is in love with only you. Jacques to her is merely her guardian, her best friend, her brother…your brother as well."

"Huh?" Fox looked Peppy straight in the eye, more confused then ever.

"I thought you would have noticed that by now," Peppy said, "The moment he had formally taken the pledge in joining Star Fox he immediately considered us all as brothers. You know the Imperial phrase '_Whoever stands with me shall be my brother_.' But he feels a repour especially with you."

Fox nodded slowly and responded, "I always sensed Jacques thought of me as more than a team-mate."

He then smiled.

"Now if only he _was_ my brother for real, there'd be someone else to carry on the McCloud name once the inevitable happens. Behind a foot thick of blessed armour he'll survive this."

Peppy frowned and shook his head sternly, "It's not going to happen. We're _all_ going to survive this."

Fox now backed away from Peppy and glared, "That's what you like to think? But with Krystal hanging around the both of us when we jump back into the fray, she's going to be the first thing they go after. If they don't kill her…"

He shuddered heavily, his fur sticking on end, the language barrier when it comes to cursing now broken.

"…they'll fucking do what I, you and what anyone else would, think of what they would do to her."

Peppy slapped his hand over his eyes and groaned, "Listen to what you're saying, Fox. It's like you're planning to hide her away forever. What would your father say?"

"He wouldn't say anything," Fox casually retorted over his shoulder, "He's dead."

Wanting to snap Fox out of this predicament for good, Peppy said sternly, "This is Krystal's fight too, Fox. If worse comes to wear and you and Jacques aren't able to be there for her…well…she can take care of herself. This is Total War, Fox. To the Imperium it's a Holy War. To Chaos, it's a Unholy Crusade."

He grabbed him by both of his shoulders, gripping them tightly.

"You can't protect her from reality forever."

Fox's eyes widened. He then spun around toward Peppy and grabbed him by the shoulder, pushing him against the wall. Though he was surprised at Fox's reaction, he didn't make a sound, electing only to look at him shockingly, which did nothing to change the furious brow on Fox's face.

Fox then shouted angrily, "If what is happening now is called reality, then you sure as hell bet I can protect her from it…and Jacques as well! He'll live to be about a thousand years if I have anything to say about it! Just watch me!"

He then let go of Peppy and backed away.

"Now if you'll excuse me, General Hare, sir," Fox said with contempt, "Team Star Fox has got work to do."

Fox stepped away from the table and headed towards the exit. Before he reached the door however, he turned his head so he was facing Peppy, who was still backed up against the wall.

"You said that the Inquisition was involved," Fox said, "I bet there was some 'Grand Inquisitor' or someone like running the show with you and dad."

"Yes, Fox," Peppy replied calmly.

"What was his name?"

"Kryptmann. Inquisitor Lord Kryptmann."

Fox glared, "What happened to the bastard? Did you or dad get even with him?"

Peppy downcast his eyes and said, "No."

The vulpine appeared to intensify his glare, before nodding and saying, "Hope the crime for creating a freak of nature is burning, or something just as painful."

Peppy stopped himself from sinking down to the floor as Fox left the war room. He shook his head and sighed. He couldn't help but feel sorry for Fox, remembering that in the years he spent standing alongside Fox. Whether it would be familiarising him with the controls of the Arwing when his father couldn't in his younger years or amidst a massive firefight, Fox had never at once let his raw emotion take hold of him.

But now that he was, of all things, in love and that _she_ happened to be on the same team. And she expected to be right there at the fronts lines besides ranks of marching zealous Imperial Guardsmen and Space Marines as non-humans among them and that they could turn on the Coalition at any time, he was now definitely seeing things in a more critical sense. The human's religious beliefs were all crazy, but that was what drove them all on. Peppy felt sorry for Krystal as well, knowing what would happen if one was to lose the other.

He straightened his uniform, "James…I hope your son is up to the challenge this time. And I hope his brother…"

He chuckled slightly, mentioning Jacques in his conversation to himself.

"…can have the strength of mind to keep him on the straight and narrow. But…old men can only dream."


	19. Chapter 17a: Slaves to Darkness

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_Edits made: Slippy's involvement in the battle.  
__La'Jakob's salute._

* * *

Chapter 17a - Slaves to Darkness

* * *

_With the thrice-damned renegades of lewd Slaanesh, your well-tried techniques of forceful inquisition will serve you ill. These voluptuaries and heretics that debase themselves before their so-called Lord of Dark Delights are not to be unburdened of their lisping truths by subtle pressures or the keen probing of your instruments. Conspiring against all decency even in such matters, these libertines take pleasure from our inquiries, debauching themselves with inhuman dissolution upon the racks and wheels of Verity. For these abominations, other methods are required...  
_**- The Teachings of Inquisitor Magnus, **_**Realm of Chaos: Slaves To Darkness**_

With many of Lylat's past conflicts on the surface of MacBeth from the Forever Train battle to the Ork WAAAGH!! of Warlord Gorgutz 'ead unter', it was surprising that the planet hadn't been completely reduced to glass, or worse yet it was not _completely_ hollowed out. Following the events of the failed Ork attack, many of the sites the greenskins had fought or inhabited had been subjectively firebombed multiple times in a effort to prevent more Orks from appearing. As it was known that a dead Ork released it's seed which planted into the ground, and in time gave birth to another. And combining the firepower that Star Fox and the Cornerian Army unleashed on the green tide, thousands of Orks had been killed. And were it not for Jacques' advisement towards General Pepper, they would have returned years later as Feral Orks.

Afterwards, things on MacBeth up to now had been quiet. Amidst the abandoned Venomian military bases, train stations, train yards and general outposts, there were no reports of any Ork sightings, so it would seem that they had been in listening to the Ultramarine slash Heavy Weapons guru of Star Fox. All those thoughts and reminiscing ran through the Cornerian mastiff Sergeant Major's head as he hobbled alongside the remainder of his platoon into the remains of a warehouse within the remains of the old Venomian trainyard, with him and his men beside a barely functioning Armored Personnel Carrier. Fragments of a bolter round were lodged painfully in his left leg and a blade slash to his right cheek. A part of his right ear lobe had been flayed and the sounds of war were still behind right behind.

With his machine-gun in his shaky left hand, he spun around to find a pair of half-naked male human Slaanesh cultists wearing only pink-colored armor shards over their chest and extremities hobbling behind the platoon, armed with blasters, short-blades and lust-filled smiles. The Sergeant aimed his machine-gun with one hand and filling them all full of holes. They toppled over onto their backs, killed instantaneously with smiles on their faces.

"Sir!" one of the corporals cried out immediately after hearing gunfire, "Those…those sex-fiends won't let up! Those two were from the same skinny group that ambushed 3rd Platoon!"

"Don't remind me, kid!" the Sergeant Major exclaimed, "Those fucking humans tore the hell out of those poor bastards! Now shut those doors!"

The corporal, a young alsatian, wiped the sweat off his brow as he took cover besides several other Cornerian soldiers. One of the soldiers got to work closing the warehouse door, which consisted of him banging on the controls while the others was blazing away at more cultists approaching the area, laspistols firing away. One soldier was hit in the kneecap and went down cursing in pain. His friends dragged him behind the doors as they closed and backed away.

"Goddamn it!" the downed soldier cursed out loud, "They just keep…ARGH…goddamn!"

The sounds of screaming, yelling, bellowing and fists banging on the door sent shivers through ever Cornerian soldier's frames as they raised and primed their weapons at the doors and front windows. The Sergeant Major opened a panel in the side of the APC and produced a communicator phone.

"This is 5th Platoon to Command!" he shouted, "We can't hold the skinnies and we're held up in a warehouse on the other side of the base. Don't suppose you can't spare an extraction, over?"

_Negative 5th Platoon, we're being hit all over the place! Every unit from here to the spaceport are cut off from each other and all ships are grounded! _

In anger the Sergeant Major gripped the receiver enough to make it almost shatter. Through clinched teeth, he asked, "Please advise, over."

Wait…YEAH! Hold you position, over.

The other line sounding jovial almost made the Cornerian officer jump, just as the warehouse windows shattered as gunfire poured in and the Cornerians took cover behind the APC or the crates and machinery present, the Sergeant Major cried, "Colonel, sir! Repeat all after 'yeah'!"

Hold your position and wait for relief. Reinforcements are on their way.

"Reinforcements? BACK UP!"

The Cornerian soldiers moved away from the windows and took deeper cover within the warehouse when both human and kemono cultists poured through the shattered windows, guns blazing and blades brandished. Dozens were gunned down as they forced their way into the warehouse, but dozens more were quick to take their place. The banging and hollering on the doors growing more intense as lustful moaning and bellowing could be heard through the door and the windows.

'Sounds like there thousands of em' out there,' the Sergeant officer thought, 'God…why are they coming after us?'

Firing his machine-gun, the Sergeant Major picked his shots carefully. One naked female brown-furred mouse cultist was in proximity of the officer, who silently apologized to God for striking a woman and immediately rifle-butted her across the face and fired down at her. She screamed in pain and loosened her hold on her dagger before dying.

Suddenly everything went quiet as the gunfire, chanting and the mass moaning ended. The Cornerian kept their weapons primed and aimed towards the front, with the majority of the guns aimed at the door.

The Cornerian officer shook his head in disbelief, "There is no way they can knock that door down."

Suddenly a charismatic, authoritative yet slippery-toned voice assaulted the airwaves…

"**Children of the Emperor! Death to his foes!"**

…. followed by a large ornate sabre penetrating through the warehouse door and slicing it across downwards. The Cornerian gripped their weapons and tightened their trigger fingers with two black metallic gauntlets pried the door open sideways. The Sergeant Major eyes at the sight of the Chaos Champion standing in the doorway, which he had just forced open with the superhuman strength granted by his false good.

To put it at best, he was a real abomination to whatever benevolent gods that existed in this damned universe. His bald, scarred head was bleached and pale and he had rows of sharpened teeth and his long tongue slivered in and out of his mouth in a sick, sensual manner. He was armored with a daemonic whip, which was attached to his right gauntlet and he carried his large power sabre in his left gauntlet. His dark blue power armor twisted and contorted with the pained, wailing faces of ten thousand years worth of people who had gone up against him…and won.

No doubt this was **Lucius the Eternal** himself, the Champion of Slaanesh and captain of the 13th Company of the Emperor's Children Traitor Legion.

"Sssssssoooooooo….fresh furry meat," Lucius hissed with a smile, "Yet to feel Slaanesh's divine blessings unto themselves."

The Sergeant Major didn't waste time being startled and raised his machine-gun, immediately blazing away at the Slaanesh champion, trying to go for the headshot. But with the pain in his leg and side of the face searing he only managed to strike his chest plating, which barely fazed the exotic-looking champion. Still smirking, he reeled his hand that held the whip back and struck forward with a loud crack.

"ARGHHHH!"

The daemonic whip struck the Sergeant Major's hand and left a massive gash that went all the way to the bone, sending his machine-gun flying. He sunk to his knees cradling his stricken hand and moaning in agony. The soldiers under his command immediately shouted orders to one another and begun firing at Lucius. He was still smiling that sick smile as he stepped aside and suddenly five Chaos Space Marines charged in, boltguns blazing.

They immediately mowed down most of the Cornerian soldiers present, blasting their chests open and tearing them to shreds with their heavy gun firing high-caliber rocket-propelled slugs, those soldiers fingers still on the trigger as they defended themselves in a futile manner. Those Cornerians that survived had only done so by diving onto the ground with their Sergeant Major.

Immediately they felt themselves lifted into the air kicking and yelling and hurled out of the warehouse. The APC was sliced open by a Chaos Marine with a power sword and it's two drivers were pulled out by the neck and hurled onto the ground. Steel boots immediately came down on their heads and crushed them, mercifully sparing them the perverted wrath of the Slaanesh cultists.

Lucius grinned and turned away from the interiors of the warehouse, and towards the massive crowd of lustfully screaming, moaning jeering Slaanesh cultists. His Marines had hurled the Sergeant Major and the surviving six soldiers towards the middle of the crowd, and immediately they hoisted the officer onto his knees and grabbed and twisted his head. It was not to break his neck, but so that he was facing his remaining soldiers as both male and female cultists surrounded them.

A female human cultist licked the dog officer ear lobe and edged towards his men, "Watch closely…be aroused."

The Sergeant Major's eyes widened when the Slaanesh cultists surrounded them begun to draw their blades descended upon the soldiers, who each begun to scream and cry in horror and gradually agony. All before their commanding officer who was forced to watch as the Slaanesh cultists did to them what any right-minded person would decline to describe here.

"NO! GODDAMN YOU!" the Sergeant Major screamed in anger, "YOU FUCKING ANIMALS!"

----------

"Our Farseer's heart once again shines and her mind is finally clear. For just as she has said, it is Slaanesh himself that can be felt on this world, and amongst the thralls of Chaos."

"If not plunging our once great civilization to ruin through excess was not enough, he seeks to do so here amongst the kemono. And though they are pawns of the mon'keigh, it is our duty to save their souls from the ensnare that is the Great Enenmy."

"Though for now, Shira, we must save one of them."

"We must prepare now, Delanos."

Standing there and hiding atop the roof of an administration building behind their optic camouflage robes, the two Eldar rangers watched the scene from afar through the scopes of their long rifles. Below them on the ground Traitor Marines and cultists were on the march through the tight streets of the abandoned residential district of the base, which would normally have harbored the soldier's during off hours and their families, but has now fallen in disrepair following abandonment by the Venomian Army.

But now the base was the center of the Cornerian retreat as they passed through here with the Emperor's Children in hot pursuit, with troops mixed with Slaanesh tainted ground armor and vehicles. The Eldar watched the fighting closely, as if they were studying them – waiting for the opportune time to strike. And if their Farseer's mind continued to stay clear, then it would come to them very soon.

Shira turned behind her towards a squad of four Warp Spiders and a Exarch, all of them encased in high-tech sealed wraithbone armor, helmets, death-spinners and backpack with warp generators intact, which had the capacity of teleporting them almost instantaneously anywhere within range. And the massacre half-a-mile away was in range.

"Save him," Shira said, almost pleading, "Can he at least bring a message to the kemono?"

The Exarch nodded, and responded in a distorted voice similar to that of a broken vid-disk, "We're on our way!"

And they disappeared in a crystallized flash. Shira turned to Delanos, who was now observing the Chaos troops below them. She appeared discontented as she stepped up to him.

"When will the Farseer allow us to sow death amongst these perverted beings?" Shira implored, squatting beside him, "We can wait for the Archon to arrive any longer?"

"Please, show patience Shira," Delanos turned his head and looked her in the eyes through her hooded helm, "He will come, and will not be alone."

"And those with him we have encountered before," Shira explained, "And whom we betrayed, before they could betray us."

----------

Now bound by his arms and feet, the distraught Sergeant Major closed his eyes as he felt the blood hit his face when the last of his soldiers received a bolter round to the back of the head. The cultists having believed to have broken their furry toys, as their were practically a hundred in the crowd and all of them had nearly a sadistic piece of the Cornerian soldiers. The officer could close his eyes to stop seeing the sights before him, but he couldn't shut off the sounds.

"Now…what of this tall, firm piece of meat?" a female voice cackled out loudly.

"Seeing his men has made him too tense," a effeminate male voice cried out in gothic, "He can join them!"

With his eyes still closed he felt him shoved roughly down onto the asphault, and something metallic, possibly a boltpistol, pushed into the back of his head. He heard the clicks of a bolt sliding into place, before the loud BLAM of the gun going off. But somehow, he was still thinking…

"Wha…?"

…and no longer hearing the sounds of war, pain and agony. Slowly, he dared open his eyes to find himself, still bound, on his knees. He was surrounded by five tall black/manilla heavily armored humanoids, with the leader identified by the extra equipment on his back and his uniquely shaped helm standing right behind him with his hand on his shoulder.

"You have saved one of the kemonos, Exarch," the Sergeant-Major heard a soothing, feminine voice, "And he is unspoiled as the day he was born."

"Yes, Exalted Farseer," the 'Exarch' responded, which to the officer sounded distorted, "We did not think it was possible, but he survived the personal warp jump intact and with his sanity."

The Warp Spiders stepped away from the Sergeant Major, who caught a glimpse of his surroundings. They were within the confines of an abandoned air control tower in a small outpost just outside the battlezone. Out the windows he could more Chaos vehicles and troops of various kinds passing by below, unknowing of his presence.

He looked ahead and upwards at the face of a tall, long dark haired female humanoid. Instead of feelings of dread a Cornerian would associate with being in the presence of a human, he felt something else instead. And that was confusion mixed with relief wrapped around awe. He looked around to find the control room full of these tall, strange human-like creatures, where the only differences between them and humans was their shuriken weaponry, their wraithbone armor, their long-ears and overall graceful appearance.

The Farseer Taldeer stepped forward towards him just as the Warp Spider Exarch cut his bounds with his serrated blade. He rubbed his own wrists, still quietly staring up at the Farseer.

Taldeer appeared intrigued, 'The kemono is grateful, yet is silent. Is it fear? Or is it awe? Let us see.'

She looked down at him, the silence in the room somehow not being broken by the sounds of war and Chaos deployment outside. It was that silence that if one was to hear closely, they could listen to the sound of heartbeat.

"I have a message I must give you," Taldeer spoke calmly to the Sergeant-Major, "Would you give it your commanding officer? We will provide you safe passage towards your main base of operations?"

The Sergeant Major nodded, feeling grateful towards these beings who looked to pure to be humans, "Yes…yes…anything! But…"

He eyebrows queered.

"What are you people?"

Taldeer shook her head and responded, "You should ask the people who programmed your simulators."

----------

En-route to MacBeth at the highest speed possible was a small fleet of Imperial and Cornerian ships, with the Great Fox II at the front. The fleet following close behind consisted of the Emperor-class _Pacifier_, a Lunar-class Imperial Cruiser, the three Firestorm escort cruisers and one Space Marine Strike Cruiser. The Cornerian starships vastly outnumbered the Imperial ships, and besides the Great Fox Dreadnought there were six Cornerian battlecruisers and four wings of strike fighter escorts. The Pacifier and the Imperial cruiser carried between them twenty-thousand men and attached Armoured Companies while the Space Marine cruiser carried twenty-five Space Marines, including the squad of Scouts.

And the Lord Macragge, his honor guard and the Master of the Sanctity themselves. Those individuals strode through the hallway of the ship towards the drop pod launch pod, expecting the rest of their brothers to be waiting there for them.

"Lord Macragge," Tigerius said, "The Emperor Incarnatus is currently holding position outside the system. Our remaining Brothers are on standby and would only need to hear your voice if they are to deploy to the system."

"Hopefully, we will not have need of them," Calgar responded, then intoned, "Though I had wished we had one of the Reserve Companies on hand."

"With that transmission we sent, we _will _have additional reinforcements," Cassius pointed out, "For now, we must rely on our Guard and xeno allies. And speaking of the xeno we will be fighting beside this day…"

Cassius looked sullen.

"…our brothers fear breaking the Codex Astartes in fighting beside the denizens of this system, the misguides of the Tau Empire and the alien sympathizer of all traitors."

Calgar frowned, "Jacques is _not_ a traitor. The Astartes have always served the Emperor and has safeguarded mankind for thousands of years. If allying with xeno guarantees our survival, then so be it. I will make sure the rest of our brothers see that."

The Chaplain shook his head, "Some of the First Company have lived and fought for many thousands of years and have always abided by the writings of our Primarch. It will be a struggle to convince them otherwise."

Calgar stopped walking and frowned, "_Who_ is to say that we are going against Guilliman's teachings? The Primarch would want humanity preserved any way possible. And permit me to say this before you, the Master of Sanctity, and to you the Chief Librarian…"

Cassius eyes widened behind his skull helmet and Tigerius already guessed what Calgar was going to say and already went through the ramifications of his new-founded beliefs nearly mirroring that of Jacques of all people.

"…besides all those who stood in the way of the Great Crusade, did the Emperor ever condone hatred towards non-humans? Or to not refuse pact with them if it would mean advancement for our species? We may not ever know, but for now we will stay on the course and will prevent the Ruinous Powers entry into the Imperium…through every means necessary."

As they neared the drop bay passing by servitors and serfs alike, Cassius and Tigerius glanced at each other, appearing both surprised and worried.

'It is official,' Cassius thought bitterly, 'He has spent too much time around Mortensen. It would seem his views, philosophies and charisma are rubbing off the Lord Macragge. Though I believe it is necessary to ally with aliens at this time, this may cause some problems. And if you are reading my mind right now, Chief Librarian, you will agree with me.'

Tigerius grimaced and thought to himself, 'Indeed. I have never questioned the purpose, or even the heritage, of Mortensen…but at one point we must draw the line before Mortensen plunges the Chapter into heresy.'

They stepped into the launch bay, with pods fueled and ready for descent. 25 Marines, divided into 1 Tactical squad, 1 Devastator Squad and a Terminator Squad; supported by an Apothecary and a squad of five Scout Marines, two of which were armed with sniper rifles. They were all already standing to attention, with Calgar's Honour Guard joining them and taking up ceremonial flank before the high-ranking Space Marines.

Calgar smiled, "My brothers, veterans of the First Company and Neophytes. Once again we go to war against the foul Forces of Chaos, and the same traitors whom ten-thousands years ago betrayed our Emperor, and paid the price for the allegiance to the Ruinous Powers with eternal damnation. Most of you have fought as long as I have been Lord Macragge, so I expect nothing less of any of you then to bring swift death upon the enemies of mankind."

"YES MY LORD!" the Marines all sounded off through their vox-vocalisers.

"You are the Emperor's Chosen and the pride of the Chapter, so I will not lie to you, because what you have heard is true," Calgar continued, "We fight beside both xeno and breakaways from the Imperium. Though her alliance with the Lylatian, the Tau and the Kronus/Eden treaty we are a coalition, and therefore will not consider any xeno or traitor that does not fire on us first a threat. Therefore, I expect every one of you to abide by that. Do I, your Lord Macragge, make myself clear?"

"YES MY LORD!"

"And as token of good faith," Calgar continued, smiling slightly, "May I direct your attention towards the other entrance into the bay?"

All Marine turned their heads to where he said and saw several servitors wheeling in ornate power armor…which were the same one that had been lent to Team Star Fox following the invasion of Papetoon. The Ultramarines all appeared intrigued at the sight of their returned armor.

(A/N: Yeah I know…it wasn't possible for them to wear armor in the first place, I know better now. But I thought I might clear this up.)

"I hope this puts many of the fears to rest, brothers," Calgar said, "And this proves that these xeno are willing to die for us. Now…"

He turned to Cassius.

"Master of the Sanctity. If you may dispense with the rites."

Cassius nodded and stepped forward. The Ultramarines all took a knee and bowed their heads in silent prayer. Cassius eyes narrowed behind his skull helmet as he paraded himself down the launch bay, passing by the Marines.

"Into the fires of battle we go," intoned Cassius.

"Unto the anvil of war we strike," replied the Space Marines.

Cassius raised his Crozius Arcanum power mace into the air as the Marine all took a knee and bowed their heads in prayer, "We are the Ultramarines, warriors of the Emperor, and our bravery is beyond question! It is the stuff of the soul-forge, stronger than adamantium and enduring as the Immortal Emperor Himself. The fires of battle are our places of worship, the roar of bolters our prayers, and the slaughter of our foes an offering to the gods of battle!"

"Our bolters are charged with death," the assembled Ultramarines cried as one, their vox-vocalisers sounding off all throughout the chamber, "They are the divine wrath of the Emperor!"

"And so once again, we fight to keep the heretics out of _our_ galaxy, which is the Emperor's _realm_," Cassius bellowed as he lowered his mace, "And in his name we shall bring death to the enemies of mankind. Those humans and xeno… who serve the Ruinous Powers shall go down with them. And though we fight beside other xeno, for now it shall not be considered heresy….for they unknowingly serve the Emperor by standing beside us."

"Purge the heretics!" the Ultramarines cried.

"And the traitors of Kronus and Eden…they are but victims of circumstance. They too serve the Emperor, and therefore are our allies."

"Only the Emperor is all!"

"And so…once again…TO BATTLE, MY BROTHERS!"

----------

Admiral Nero had a reason to be angry. The allied Cornerian starships vastly outnumbered his own pitiful 'fleet' of his flagship Pacifier, three Firestorm escorts and the Lunar-class cruiser designated _Novelis._ Though General Sturnn and Calgar simultaneously assured him the Cornerian and Venomians will not go against the terms of the alliance or _Coalition_ as suggested by the Ethereal, Horatio Dylanis Nero felt like he was going to suffocate. Because in a few minutes they will be locked into combat with the Chaos warfleet and that is when they will be truly outnumbered.

_Admiral,_ General Sturnn said over the vox, _All troops and vehicles ready for deployment. What's the status on the Baneblades?_

"If you must know, they are ready for deployment," Nero responded, "We will deploy them once 1st and 2nd groups have landed, that is, after the Ultramarines have paved the way for us."

_I read you, Admiral, _Sturnn said gruffly, _And I'll trust the fleet to keep the enemy air away from us._

Nero frowned, "You can count on us, General. May be the Emperor be with you."

Emperor protect you as well, Admiral. The Emperor protects us all.

Nero turned the vox off, the frown still on his face.

'Except for the xeno,' Nero reasoned mentally.

"Lord Admiral!" the captain of the Pacifier exclaimed, "We're approaching the planet, but we've got dozens of Chaos warships approaching at our twelve, sir."

Nero nodded, "All gunnery crews to their stations…and ready the Nova cannon."

He then smiled pleasantly to himself, which distracted some of the command crew nearby.

'And pray at least a few of our 'allies' get caught in the crossfire.'

----------

Deep within the lower levels of the Pacifier where the Imperial's ground forces would be stowed away for the duration of the voyages through the cosmos, a general assembly was called and every Guardsmen made their way to the chapel area, lasguns and other assorted weaponry in hand. They were organized into their respective platoon with an officer leading them, whom each had their orders to stand before the General, the Regimental Commissar and the Confessor, who would bless them before they would once again go into battle.

The men of Sergeant Armiel's platoon sneered at the thought of being blessed as they marched through the tight corridor towards the chapel area. Private Vincent Shultz felt a fellow Guardsmen nudge him in the shoulder.

"Oi, have ya' heard boy?" the Guardsman hissed, "We're havin' to fight with not only aliens, but with those fuckin' traitors."

"Yeah!" another exclaimed from behind, prompting Vincent to turn his head towards him, "Those self-righteous gray bastards and those damn furballs. Though you gotta admit…"

The Guardsman gave a cruel smile.

"… if you don't mind the faces a few of the alien girl's bods look hell of lot better then the stuff they got back on Cadia."

Armiel smirked when he overhead his men, and couldn't help overhear the conversation, "Don't get any bright ideas."

"Aw, c'mon sarge," another Guardsman chimed in, "You have to admit that blue vixen is fit and right fuckable. That is unless that vulpine or that traitor already stuck their guns into her from behind…"

They then heard the angry scowl from their purple-eyed, blond lieutenant, as his left eardrum augmentation overheard every little bit of their conversation, which pointed out explicitly what they thought of the Cerinian and all female anthro's in general.

"Sergeant!" the lieutenant cried, "Control your squad's tongues or I'll have the Confessor cut them out."

Armiel saluted as he nodded, "Yes sir, lieutenant Zakheav!"

He then turned to his squad and whispered…

"Might want to keep it down. Remember the 38th Millennium?"

Private Niel nodded and smirked, "Those poor, horny bastards."

----------

In his personal armory Sturnn grunted as he fastened on his carapace armor and pauldrons over his uniform, having forgotten what it felt to have bodily protection on. He always had preferred to let people know what his rank he was through the stripes he wore and the decorations he had earned through thirty years of service to the Imperium and the God-Emperor.

He then fastened on his scarlet Cadian battle-raiment, followed by a red/gold outlined sash, which was identical to Governor Alexander's gear. That wasn't surprising, as the Cadian forces that were originally in pursuit of the Farseer Taldeer, and whom they had successfully captured had formed the Kronus 1st when they had landed on the planet. It had been up to Alexander to make up for his monumental failure, which could have cost him his life if it wasn't for the injuries he had sustained following the thermonuclear explosion of the Titan Dominatus hadn't made him eligible for the Crimson Medallion. The award to Guardsmen who suffer horrific injuries yet had not lost their will to fight or their faith in the God-Emperor, and he was deemed worthy to be spared penance.

He looked at his rugged, armored, grim self in the mirror and frowned silently. He always did like ceremony rather then protection.

'So much for grace,' he mentally shrugged, 'At least it will keep the plasma at bay.'

He then equipped his ornately crafted Power Claws with integral Storm Bolter, then his ornate gold-encrusted laspistol in it's holster, which he fastened around his waist and hidden behind his cape (or raiment). He then turned back to face the mirror, looking grimly at his own reflection.

Then with his left hand he reached for his laspistol holstered to his right and aimed it at the mirror, all as quickly as possible and with a smirk. He then twirled his laspistol in his hand and holstered it. He then turned towards the door and it opened automatically. He stepped out of the hallway, receiving salutes from the naval armsmen guarding the armory, and was greeted by Commissar Plymouth.

"Lord Commissar Gebbet."

'Gebbet' frowned, "I prefer 'Plymouth', General Sturnn."

Sturnn examined Plymouth and saw the only change of wardrobe he had bothered to take was that he was wearing a Commissariat-issued carapace armor over his vest. He was wearing his greatcoat instead of using it as a crude-cape and the skull on his peaked officer's cape was shined and reflective. His prized laspistol and saber were holstered and sheathed respectively.

"You dressing to impress, Commissar?" Sturnn inquired.

Plymouth crossed his arms, "You surprise me yourself, General."

"I don't plan on dying today, Commissar," Sturnn interjected as he begun walking down the hall towards the chapel with the Commissar at his right side, "And I do hope you're considering your own chances of mortality."

"Would it be considered bitter if I gloriously fell in battle this day?"

"Then I would have a hard time finding your replacement, Plymouth," Sturnn replied, "I doubt there is any other Commissar anywhere who would want to be assigned to the Cadian 412th."

"I am flattered," Plymouth said, "Now…about the upcoming battle…"

Sturnn grimaced, "There's no intel as of yet what fallen legion we will be fighting first. Though I pray it is one of the Chosen legions first, I just hope it is not the Emperor's Children."

He then snorted in disgust.

"God-Emperor knows what the kemono cults will pick up from those hedonistic bastards."

"If I may point out in a tactical manner General Sturnn, fighting kemono cultists bending over backwards for the God of Decadence will add some variety to this battle," Plymouth pointed out smugly.

"There is no way in hell I can disagree with that, Commissar," Sturnn scoffed, "The worst aspects of these man-animals will hit us hard, and hopefully not in the wrong places. Yiffers, vorers, tinies and who knows what the perverted mind can think up."

They stepped into the chapel area, immediately greeted with the salutes of ten thousand Imperial Guardsmen standing to attention, with the other ten-thousand making up the 2nd Battlegroup onboard the Imperial cruiser nearby within the Coalition fleet. They too would be standing to attention in their chapel with their officers and Commissars present, with the priest and confessor already blessing them on the eve of battle.

"GUARDSMEN, ATTEN-HUT!" Sturnn and Plymouth had heard the officers' command out loud, "SALUTE!"

Sturnn smiled and finished what he had begun to say to Plymouth, "I think we will manage quite well."

----------

Spearheading ahead of the fleet was the Great Fox II, and onboard it's occupants kept vigilant for the first sign of enemy contact as they prepared themselves for war. Not only was Team Star Fox, including it's former Heavy Weapons Specialist, on board but the contingent of Tau that had volunteered to assist the Imperial and Cornerian forces for the attack on MacBeth, or what they called the 'liberation' of MacBeth. A hundred Fire Warriors, Crisis Suit pilots and Earth Caste attendants from both T'au and the Farsight Enclaves mingled beside one another on board the Dreadnought. Most of them however kept to the lower decks and the hangar, where the ten Farsight Crisis Battlesuits besides five T'au Crisis suits, two Hammerhead Gunship and two Broadside Suits they brought along as well as most of their weaponry were stored.

And it was the appearance of these Farsight battlesuits that made Slippy nervous as he was worked on his Arwing, making sure it was in tune just in time for the upcoming battle on MacBeth. Between handling his spanner and taking quick glances of a pict of Amanda, he observed the battlesuits carefully. They were all red-colored and appeared like the normal battlesuits they had encountered during the battle on Titania, but these ones were heavily modified with green-glowing phaser-like cannons and sharpened blades akin to O'Shovah's battlesuit. It would appear they were fitted for both close and long range combat.

Slippy sighed, 'Can't believe I'm sitting this one out. Only four Arwings and Katt being the last minute addition to the team. I could just go out in the Landmaster and give the boys in flak and steel some more amour.'

He then looked at his pict of a smiling Amanda.

'Then again, I've got Amanda to get back to. Couldn't bear to leave her alone if something bad happened to me.'

He glanced at his pict again and looked away from the Arwing, startled when he was approached by a red-suited black-eyed Farsight Suit pilot –a Shas'vre.

"You appear interested in our modified Crisis Suits, Toad," the Shas'vre stated.

Slippy shrugged, "Yeah, well…that's the kind of technology I figured I'd never lay eyes on."

The Shas'vre smirked, "So you should be envious. The technology of T'au makes us strong, and allows us to spread the Greater Good despite those who seek to stand in our way to enlightenment."

The frog looked at him curiously, "This 'Greater Good' really drives you guys on, doesn't it…eh?"

"Shas'vre T'au Law Nem Y'eldi," the pilot identified himself, sounding off like he took pride in his name, "You can call me 'Law', though."

Slippy smiled awkwardly, "Yeah, it'd be easier then saying your whole name out loud."

"And to answer your question…without Tau'va, there is nothing worth fighting for," Vre'Law quickly added, "Through the Greater Good we fight for honor, for our families, for the Highest Ones and for T'au itself."

The frog looked at him curiously, "Really…but err…you don't exactly fly the colors of those other Tau guys…the guys in yellow, I mean."

Law crossed his arms, "Yes, well…we the followers of Commander Farsight serve the Greater Good our own way. Ways which the other septs fear to go by."

Slippy eyes widened, appearing intrigued. He decided to grill the pilot more, "Does that explain why I noticed some of the T'au sept Fire Warriors cast you guys dirty looks?"

Law chuckled, "The Enclaves and the Ethereals have been at odds for a very long time."

"Ideological reasons?"

"That, the way we approach warfare and diplomacy…and our technology."

Vre'Law pointed at the modified battlesuits. Slippy immediately felt chills when he thought the green glowing emitting from the strange weaponry brushed against him and metaphorically speaking his soul. He swallowed nervously.

"I…I shouldn't be surprised," Slippy squeaked, "They give me the creeps. What kind of tech is that anyway? It…it doesn't look like it was made by you guys."

Law frowned, making Slippy all the more anxious, "That is classified…"

The Tau decided to change subjects, knowing he was making the frog nervous, and that definitely wouldn't be good for this fragile, fledging alliance between Tau and the furries of this neighboring galaxy.

He eyed the pict that Slippy had in his left hand, "May I ask who is that?"

"Hm?" Slippy hummed, then exclaimed, "Oh! Oh that's Amanda."

"Is she someone important to you?" Law questioned softly.

Slippy smiled mirthlessly, "Oh yeah…more important then even my own life. And I'm shamed to admit, anyone else's' lives."

"Your wife?"

"My fiancée."

Vre'Law scrunched up his face and reeled away slightly, exhaling almost painfully, "Then I feel sorry for the both of you?"

"Huh?"

"These are strange times to be thinking of marriage, or starting a family for that matter," Law stated, "With war and the threat of death, people would probably be asking you and her why you had not gone through the appropriate rites sooner."

Slippy downcast his eyes, "Then…then we'd probably have gone too quickly."

"How long have you two being as one?"

Slippy blushed hue red, "Did…do you mean…?"

Law chuckled, "I meant how long you have been in each other's company?"

"A year and a half."

Law narrowed his eyes at Slippy, "You should cherish those memories. Every second you spent with her before now, before all of this, was a blessing. You should consider what would happen if the other was to lose their life before their time and what it would mean, and do, to the other."

Slippy started to feel angry, believing that this Tau was prying into his and Amanda's lives together. If he was insinuating that they should have gotten married before this war begun, then how the hell could the both of them know what was going to happen? It also vaguely sounded that he was suggesting that they should separate, or worse, forget about each other.

"Thanks for your concern, Tau," Slippy said, slightly vehement, "But I'm not _that_ clumsy enough to get myself killed and leave Amanda by herself."

The Shas'vre Law smiled and clapped his hand together, as if with delight, "THAT…is what I needed to hear."

Slippy was confused yet again, "What?"

"Strength and determination…defining factors that are part of the Greater Good. You kemono furries encompass our ideology perfectly. O'Shovah was correct in coming here with Aun'shi in tow, and demonstrating that many other forms of life outside our galaxy can put themselves under the guidance and philosophy of the Ethereals…and the Greater Good."

He then reached forward and patted Slippy on the shoulder, almost causing him to jump.

"I will be keeping a close eye on you on the battlefield…Slippy Toad," he was still smiling, albeit now with much friendliness, "Now, we must square away with our duties."

Vre'Law then walked away and headed towards his Crisis Suit, immediately tended to by two Earth Caste engineer, leaving a shell-shocked Slippy sitting there, grasping his pict of Amanda to his chest, and to his rapidly beating heart.

'What….what the heck was that all about?' Slippy stammered mentally, 'These Tau guys are just plain weirdos…and creepy.'

----------

'I agree with you on that, Slippy. Though I must also add 'malevolent' at this point, but hopefully until further notice.'

Jacques feelings towards the modified Farsight Crisis Suits mirrored that of Slippy. He remembered Fox agreeing to allow O'Shovah, his Tau forces and selected warriors of Aun'shi to be transported to MacBeth – as well as many of their vehicles and weaponry; knowing full well that neither the Imperium would spare one of their cruisers to transport xenos. The Cornerians, however, respectfully did not feel comfortable with harboring an unknown race within their own ships, and both Aun'shi and O'Shovah said that was understandable.

'To think I believed that Commander Farsight augmenting his weaponry with Necron technology was just a myth,' Jacques thought angrily, 'Damnation! We should only worry about Chaos, not the damned Necrontyr, even if it's just their technology that onboard this ship.'

He had tried to pry into O'Shovah's mind, but since the Tau didn't register within the Warp all he could see and hear was grayness. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance, wanting to know what the Farsight Enclaves were really doing this far from Segmentum Ultima in the home galaxy.

'What are you really up to, Shas O'Shovah? I _will_ find out, mark my words.'

In his room onboard the Great Fox II he turned away from the flag of the Ultramarines he had placed there on his wall across from his bed. There, in his former storeroom-turned-bedroom he stood before his clean, dust free desk, and situated on top of it was the silver sword case that the 1st Company Ultramarine had handed to him just before their departure from Venom. Though he knew it was a longsword that was within this case, he was curious as to why it was handed to him in the first place, despite him already armed with a powerful psychic Nemesis Force sword.

Jacques unlatched the golden locks and opened the case.

His eyes widened. He felt his mouth agape in shock. He felt shivers run up and down his spine. Memories began to rise from within his subconscious. After these things passed, he managed to place his hand within the case and grasp the hilt of the blade.

"E…Eden?"

It was the same sword he had pulled from the stone from when he was young and still innocent. Holding the sword with his right hand he looked at it, a look of obscure sadness upon his face. He shook his head slowly as he rubbed the side of his face with his left, slowly starting to become upset as memories of his homeworld assaulted his mind's eyes.

'Seven…Hak'ha…Ares…Pep…Nisan…mother…father…'

He growled out loud and struck himself with a psychic slap across the face, immediately waking him from his state of stress. He almost lost grip of the sword, which he tightened immediately as he composed himself. He held the sword with both hands, still gripping tightly as he stared at his own reflection within the blade.

Jacques soon relaxed and held the sword with his left hand. He then unsheathed his Nemesis Force sword in his right. He then quietly observed both swords in his hands.

Looking at the silver longsword from long ago in his left hand, he spoke quietly, "I christen you _**Eden,**_ my old friend.'

Then to the sword on his right, which he had held for as long as he could finally remember following the trial on Terra…

"For you, it shall be simple…_**Nemesis**_."

With Eden in his left hand and Nemesis in his right, he gripped the hilts of both sword tightly as he kneeled before the flag of the Ultramarines, both swords held before him with points touching the metal ground, his forehead touching the hilts. He closed his eyes as he begun to pray silently…

"Emperor…father and protector of humanity. As you sit on your Golden Throne I pray to you not as how it is done by the misguided of the Ecclesiarchy, but as a disciple of your son Guilliman, who is in turn the father of Ultramar and our chapter. I pray for your strength, guidance and wisdom not only for myself, but also for my Brothers and for the Lord Macragge and those he surrounds himself with. The same must go for our brothers-in-arms within the Cadian 412th, I beg you to not let their superstitions of the Inquisition to impair their ability to fight beside the denizens of Lylat, who fight with enough worthiness to equal your own warriors.

"Though they are not human, nowhere have you said to reject them should they further help lead humanity out of the darkness. And though you yourself have destroyed non-humans, it was only so they would not have threatened humanity – your children.

"As I go into battle, I will show no hatred towards my enemy. I will not hope to destroy them. I will only show compassion and sorrow towards their misguided decision to stand with the Forces of Chaos. I fight not just for humanity, but for those I consider precious to me, felt with feelings that should be unknown to me, but I have grasped hold of following the day I became a warrior of Ultramar.

"Emperor…give me strength."

…and about a minute later he recited a litany that he somehow knew and kept within his mind. He didn't know where it came from, but how it was said reflected his faith perfectly.

"I am the hammer. I am the right hand of my Emperor, the instrument of His will, the gauntlet about His fist, the tip of His spear, the edge of His sword…"

----------

"How long until we reach MacBeth, ROB?"

"Five minutes approximately," ROB responded, "We will be engaged by the Chaos warfleet in less time, however. Caution is advised."

Fox nodded, "And taken. We'll head out now."

O'Shovah looked at him questioningly, "Right now, McCloud?"

"We'll wear down and head off the Chaos warfleet before we even think of landing on the planet," Fox explained, then smiled, "In case you're worried…"

"I know the battle plan, McCloud," O'Shovah stated, "The Cornerian fleet will engage the Chaos warfleet, allowing the Imperial and Tau forces to land."

He then crossed his arms, appearing firm.

"The Enclaves and T'au will clear the way for the good General and his men. The Pathfinders, however, will be the guardian _angels_ for the Angels of Death as they make their advance. Fear not, McCloud…we know the battle plan."

He then smiled, just when Fox dropped his smile.

"I am not worried about you at all."

Fox scratched the back of his head, "Er…alright. Let's do this."

----------

Krystal sighed as she grabbed her staff off her desk and reached for her headset communicator, making sure it was secure on her head. She took one last look at herself in the mirror, and appeared down on herself.

'Not the image of grace,' she thought, 'But this is war, and that makes it acceptable.'

For the first time in a long while she noticed the tattoos imprinted on her arms. She nearly gasped when she thought she almost forgot about them, as well as the mark on right calf, and felt ashamed because of it. She remembered how in her younger years as part of the royal clan of Cerinia how tattoos played a large role in defining Cerinian society. The diamond tattoo she had on her calf signified that she is, or more accurately _was_, the crown Princess of Cerinia, while the tattoos on her arms meant that she was a Sorcerer, or Psyker. And in being a Sorcerer on Cerinina it meant being qualified with strength of mind and soul to tap into the Void and wield it's power…for only the desire to do good, and to always do good.

She wondered why no one had ever asked her what her tattoos meant. She knew that Jacques probably knew what they meant, stemming from his knowledge during the Ultramarines' times on Cerinia and their taking in of their history and culture. Having refrained from examining their minds telepathically she assumed they never asked her out of respect for her past or prying into her personal life.

The vixen turned and walked towards her closet, throwing it open and reaching inside for a long gun case. Placing it on her bed she pulled out a large Exitus Sniper Rifle, the same one she had used on Papetoon and it still had a magazine and a half of ammunition left. Thinking that someone else can use this Imperial weapon better than she could, she closed the casing and stepped out of her room, deciding to head to observation and check on the Tau Pathfinder team and inquire if they need additional long-range firepower.

----------

"Shas'ui?"

"La'Jakob?"

"Are you sure you would rather have me recalibrate the markerlight drone?"

"I appreciate the offer, but I can handle it. You should finish prepping for the mission. Do you remember the plans?"

"Yes."

"The location?"

"The primary railway complex."

"No need for me to remind you, then."

Jakob nodded in acknowledgement as he got back to prepping himself. As he did so, he caught glimpses of the space beyond the windows of the observation deck and saw MacBeth in the far distances, with large Chaos warships patrolling just outside it's atmosphere. He felt the vibrations through the steel hull of the Great Fox II as Cornerian battlecruisers and fighters passed by overhead, en-route to engage the enemy.

"Jakob," La'Tash approached him.

La'Jakob looked up at the Tau, "Tash."

"What do you think are the Cornerians' odds of survival against possibly the entire mont'au battlefleet?"

La'Jakob shrugged, "Though I know for sure their technology far supersedes the Imperium and is no doubt on our level, I would have to say their survival is moderate to slim.'

He narrowed his eyes.

"We have seen what those Chaos maniacs and cultists are capable when it comes to space warfare," Jakob continued, "And if those ships are thousand of years old as the Imperials claim, then they each must of destroyed hundreds, if not thousands, of target."

La'Tash slumped his shoulders, "So you're saying the kemonos have no chance at all."

"We will just have to wait and see."

The Tau heard the observation deck door open, and turned to see Krystal stepping into room holding the large Exitus Rifle in her small delicate-looking hands. La'Jakob raised his eyebrows when he noticed her standing there looking at him, eyes soft as if she was feeling tense.

He stood up, making his Tau comrades face him, "Krystal?"

"La'Ja…"

As Krystal was about to speak, the Great Fox II's PA system sprung to life, causing her to jerk her head up to listen…

_Team Star Fox, _Fox blared over the com, _Report to the hangar and prep Arwings for immediate departure. Tau personnel, prepare for separate deployment, over._

Jakob could hear her exhale through her nose with exertion, before he looked at her and her eyes again. She suddenly downcast them as she set the rifle on the floor and the wall next to the door. She then looked up at him and smiled.

"Good luck, Tau," she addressed all of them, "You'll need it."

Jakob's eyes widened as she spun around and left the door. He raised a hand and was about to call out to her when he looked at the rifle on the ground. He cautiously got on one knee and grabbed it, holding it with both hands. He immediately begun to study it, it's primitive design differentially from the Tau Rail Rifle he was currently armed with.

He then brainstormed, 'It is hard to trace foot long Shield-breaker rounds, unlike the straight beam from a Rail Rifle.'

"I trust you can find a use for that thing, gue'la?" the Shas'ui queried, crossing his arms.

Jakob nodded and tossed his rail rifle toward La'Tash, who caught in his hands and slung it over his shoulder. He then strapped the rifle over his shoulder and attached the extra magazine to his belt.

He turned to face the Shas'ui and said, "There is only _one _known use out of weapon such as this."

----------

Fleet Admiral Hancock, a brown-furred black-eyed bear in a blue uniform with hat and decorations, felt the tremors and convulsions spread over his ship as the Chaos lances begun firing on the approaching Cornerian capital ships. Out the corner of his eye he immediately saw a smaller Cornerian frigate get struck by several long-range lance blasts, immediately tearing it to pieces and in turn it was engulfed in a massive explosion.

And officer frantically inquired, "Do we return fire, admiral?"

Hancock gritted his teeth and pressed down on the intercom button, "Now all ships here this: We have engaged the enemy!"

He then looked up and barked out loud…

"CHARGE BATTERIES TO MAXIMUM! INCREASE FRONTAL SHIELDS AND FULL SPEED AHEAD!"

He then turned to another technicians.

"Status?"

"Railway complex and primary command bunker reporting overwhelming cultist activity. Requesting immediately reinforcements."

Hancock growled, "We'll have to leave that to the humans."

----------

Sitting anxiously in the command centre back on Venom, Peppy watched the projection screen showing MacBeth, the Chaos warfleet surrounding the planet and the approaching Coalition fleet. Peppy drummed his fingers on his left arm rest, hand rubbing his chin as he silently counted down the seconds until the lances and plasma cannon opened up.

"General!" a avian peacock officer cried out, "Cornerian fleet Admiral Hancock report incoming fire from long range Chaos weapons. What are you orders?"

Peppy frowned, "All ships forward engage! Batltlecruiser formation V. Fighter Wings Formation Omega. Draw all Chaos combatants away from designated Imperial Landing Zones. Star Fox will lead fighter wings. Over."

"Yes sir!"

The command centre begun blazing crimson as a red alert was issued and every technicians and tactical expert moved to their stations. All the while Peppy sat in his chair calmly and continued formulating battle plans, backup plans and exit strategies.

'God and Emperor help you all,' Peppy thought, 'Because I know you're all going to need your respective deities."

----------

Fox closed eyes tightly as he tried to relax, blocking out images of violence and bloodshed that was Chaos and the Imperium, believing that dwelling on them just before he was about to go into battle would put him off, and that it would then cost him dearly. He attempted to relax by thinking about life before the Imperium was even mentioned around him, which was at age ten before another of those damned Church-funded Anti-Human documentaries played on the television and his mother had stopped him from watching it.

He sighed loudly, forgetting the canopy to his Arwing was still open. He noticed a greenish/yellow blur out the corner of his eye. He turned towards it.

"Slippy?'

The frog crossed his arms, his eyes tracing the ground, "Tell me I'm not useless, Fox."

He sighed even louder, "Slippy…the Bullfrog is still in it's prototype stages. And besides you put it through the ringer the last time you took it for a spin."

Slippy looked comically offended, "It was just a simple maneuvers test."

The vulpine smiled and crossed his arms across the side of the cockpit, "Should I add that you have someone special waiting for you?"

Slippy blushed, then glared at him, "Don't you?"

Krystal's ears perked at that. Fox rolled his eyes and thought, 'Don't remind me.'

Slippy nodded, eyes narrowed and still looking at the floor, "I get it Fox. There's no room for me on this mission and it would break Amanda's heart if something was to happen to me."

Falco snorted slightly, 'Did he grow another length of spine while cooped up with his old man?'

"I'm glad we understand each other," Fox said, feeling the need to end this conversation, "If there's anything you can do during this op I'll get on the com immediately."

Slippy smiled softly, "I'll hold it to you."

The frog then stepped away from the Arwings and backwards towards the Tau staging area in the hangar. Fox watched him go, sensing more than enough eyes on him, and especially from a certain someone close, who looked at him with cautious, concerned blue eyes.

"Fox?"

The vulpine turned his head to the left to face the vixen, smiling slightly.

"Krys."

"Are you alright?"

Fox narrowed his eyes slightly and leaned back into his seat, "We're about to go into battle against evil incarnate, you can imagine how I feel."

Krystal nodded as she leaned into her seat, "I can imagine how you and everyone else may feel."

"Hey," Falco cried out, "Don't sweat it, you guys. We've been in hell of a lot worse. Compare this to flying over Solar or breaching Sector 6. This'll be a piece of cake."

"Right until we take a chainsword to the gut on the ground, mind you," Katt added roughly, "They'll be aiming their guns up at us once we hovering above the ground, don't forget."

"Heh…I was hoping the myth that Space Marines can't look up was true."

Fox exhaled sharply, "Alright, you guys…I know where this is going. I think Falco is right, this will just be another mission. Now, strap yourselves in…!"

Team Star Fox did so as their Arwing canopies closed. Fox exhaled painfully and shrugged his shoulders, trying to get comfortable, Katt blew a kiss towards Falco, which he grudgingly accepted and Krystal closed her eyes and bowed her head as if in a short prayer. Fox shuffled about in his seat as he tried to calm his erratic heartbeat and his nerves.

"ROB, open the hangar doors."

The Pathfinder team accompanied by O'Shovah stepped into the hangar as the door opened, them and the Tau present protected from the vacuum of space by the force field present. La'Jakob stared at hem determinedly, before raising his left hand to his heart in his own personal salute as a mark of respect towards them.

'Your gods give you speed, Star Fox,' he thought.

"LAUNCH ALL SHIPS! HERE WE GO, YOU GUYS!"

The Arwings were slingshoted out of the hangar of the Great Fox II into the blackness. With G-Diffusers at full power they accelerated towards the planet, immediately seeing the Chaos warfleet bearing down on themselves and the Coalition fleet. They were immediately joined by nearly a hundred other Cornerian fighters. The dozen Cornerian battlecruisers following close behind, picking up speed with each passing second.

Fox felt the beads of sweat emerge from his pore before they were gradually soaked by his fur. He then swallowed softly and opened his com…

"Alright guys, this is it," Fox said, "You've heard this before, but keep your wits above you…"

_And stay alive, _Falco interrupted him, then casually remarked, _Sorry, Fox…just thought I'd be rude one last time before I die._

Fox frowned, "No one's going to die, Falco. You won't let that happen, would you Katt?"

Let birdy fry his tail feathers? If he's dumb enough to get himself that deep, guess I would have too.

_Cheers, Katt._

Fox smiled, "And you've got someone to go back to, right Slippy?"

Damn straight.

"Krystal?"

He could sense Krystal's smile, _You know the answer to that, Fox._

Fox's smile then faded, where he thought, 'Not really. Who to? Me or Jacques?'

Fox looked out the side of the canopy to see the hundred fighers forming up on Star Fox's wing.

_McCloud, _Admiral Hancock said over the com, _Every small fighter we've got is on your tail. Don't disappoint us._

Fox appeared stern, "Roger that, Admiral. All ships…"

He gripped his controls as he suddenly gunned his Arwing forward.

"PREPARE TO BREAK AND REFORM ON MY MARK! GO!"

In a massive blaze of glory the fighters led by Team Star Fox and the Cornerian fleet accelerated forward. The Chaos warfleet moved forward towards them as well, their lance cannons still firing at the larger Cornerian starships. When each ship's captains and champions realized the fighters approaching them they all simultaneously fired their smaller lascannons, gun batteries and missile launchers.

Fox's eyes widened and he gritted his teeth, "MARK! BREAK…BREEAAAKKKK!"

The fighters all broke rank and scattered, their pilots concentrating on avoiding the volleys of incoming fire until they got in range. Guarding the Northern Hemisphere of the planet were about ten Chaos starships, all varying in size, structure and weaponry. A squadron of smaller Iconoclast-class Destroyers accelerated forward, lascannons and missiles blazing. Four Cornerian fighters were hit and exploded in space and Falco scored a hit on his left wing.

Falco frowned and steered his Arwing towards the Destroyers, immediately with Katt and ten other fighters on his six. They gunned towards the nearest Destroyer, lasers charged…

Fox saw this and cried out, "Falco…MARK!"

Falco smiled as Katt and the Cornerian fighters grouped into a crude X formation, lasers charged as they gunned towards the Iconoclast, dodging more gun battery and lascannon fire, and the occasional missile. When they were in range, Falco gritted his teeth…

"LET EM' HAVE IT!"

…and he, Katt and their allied Cornerian fighters released their charged homing shots which rocketed straight towards the leading Iconoclast-class Destroyer. Despite it's speed the first five blasts vaporized it's frontal shields, and the five remaining shots struck both the bow and portside of the Iconoclast, breaching the hull and allowing flames to shoot out from it, but not destroying it…but rather disabling it.

The remaining Destroyers continued to fire and another of the Cornerian fighters was destroyed. Falco, Katt and the remaining fighters broke formation and withdrew, before performing separate turns to get back into the fight as the hundred fighters swarmed all around the Chaos warfleet, pummeling each one with laser, plasma, bombs and torpedoes.

The Cornerian battlecruisers opened up with their heavy laser batteries once they were in range, and immediately they were set upon by hundreds of Chaos Claw fighters. Their defensive guns immediately sprung to life, their gunners tried to stay as calm and collected as possible as they tried to keep the Chaos strike fighters in their crosshairs.

The Chaos warfleet plowed forward to meet the Cornerian fleet, lance and laser fire exchanging between the capital ships. Fox saw this…

"Damn it!" he exclaimed, "Guys, we're meant to be drawing them away long enough for the Ultramarines to…hey…where the hell are they?"

_Keep your fur tucked under your flight suit, McCloud, _came Calgar's miffed response, _We are on the way._

_And now, plans have changed, _Admiral Hancock declared, _All ships, concentrate on the nearest Chaos starship. We're wiping them off the starmap completely._

No sooner had the last word left his mouth all Cornerian starships in range of the nearest Chaos warship – A Murder-class battleship – and all cannons fired upon it, easily bypassing it's shields and rendering it in half. Hancock smiled from the bridge of his ship, having not expected things to be this easy.

Fox smiled sharply as well…

"Team, report in!"

_This is Falco…kicking ass._

_Katt here…chalking up another kill._

_Krystal here…I'm alright…oh God…_

Fox's eyes widened…

They're a whole wing of Claws heading straight for each of us. I think they know we're hurting them.

Fox sighed and wrinkled his nose, adjusting himself in his seat, "Then we'll have to outright murder them, then. Team Star Fox, to me…"

----------

The Ultramarines Strike Cruiser accelerated as fast as it's propulsions systems could manage. Within the launch pod bay the Marines were now within their pods, weapons locked, loaded and primed. Only Calgar, Cassius and Tigerius stood on the deck, looking upwards towards a servo-skull as it projected an image of the space battle above MacBeth. Cornerian fighters and Chaos Claws were dog-fighting intensely, practically running rings around the Chaos and Cornerian starships. Much to their distaste, the Imperial ships present stayed back, electing only to shoot down any Claw that attempts to flee the battle past them.

He then tapped his earpiece vox-communicator.

"Accelerate further, bridge. We must join the battle immediately."

Tigerius smiled, "I do not think they require our assistance for this one, Lord Macragge."

Calgar shook his head, while Cassius chimed in, "Still…we must demonstrate the power of the Chosen Fleet of Ultramar…"

----------

The Ultramarines Strike Cruiser paced towards the heart of the battle, immediately gunning towards another smaller Iconoclast. Before it's crew knew what hit them, the Cruiser plowed into it and sheared it in half, both sides immediately exploding as their engines and weapon-decks gave into the pressure of the vacuum of space. The Strike Cruiser itself appeared unaffected, it's shield still holding.

It was apparent that the battle was a wrap for the Coalition, with Star Fox and the Cornerian flyboys mopping up every Chaos Claw that flew into their crosshairs and the advanced weaponry of the Cornerian starships outmatching the Chaos starships outdated, Horus Heresy-era weaponry. And it was eerily obvious that Chaos had underestimated the Cornerian counterattack capabilities.

Fox knew that for sure as he gunned towards the Retaliator-class cruiser and armed his last remaining smart bomb. Locking onto the command bridge section of the ship he barrel-rolled as he avoided incoming fire, before pushing down hard on the trigger and launching the bomb straight at the bridge. It shattered through the windows and detonated, immediately blowing it to shreds.

The Retaliator was soon adrift, allowing the Ultramarine Strike Cruiser to move forward and lock it's weapons onto the Chaos cruiser and open up with everything they had – gun batteries, missiles and lascannons. These tore through the failing shields of the Retaliator and striking the aft section where the engines were located. A minute later the entire ship exploded, scattering pieces of debris through space.

Confident that the northern hemisphere of the planet was secured for the moment as all Chaos starships were either disabled or space junk, Fox took action…

"Alright!" he exclaimed into the com, the decided to keep it simple over the com, "Calgar! You, Marines, drop, now!"

That is affirmative. We will secure the main Cornerian bunker and proceed from there.

Fox heard Krystal over the com, Good luck, Lord Macragge.

We will need it.

The Ultramarine Strike Cruiser amidst Cornerian fighter escort accelerated towards the planet and slowed down just before it would touch the atmosphere. It turned itself so that it's side was facing the planet.

TO BATTLE, MY BROTHERS! FOR THE EMPEROR!

The Strike Cruiser begun to fire drop pods down through the planet's atmosphere and towards the surface, their litanies to the Emperors being heard though every com and vox receiver. This did wonders for the morale and spirit of the Imperial Guardsmen and the Holy Fleet, but immediately begun to grind the gears of the Cornerians and Tau….but especially Falco.

Jeez, do they have to play their pipes every time they start to kill something?

I'ts called 'ceremony' Falco, Krystal stated, It's part of what they are.

Hmpth…well some of us don't feel like listening to it.

Fox rubbed his cranium in frustration, hearing Krystal's voice and feeling it tug at his heartstrings. He stated, "Falco, Krystal, Katt…proceed to the planet's surface and cover the Marines. I'll be right behind you."

What are you going to do till then? Falco asked.

Fox grimaced, before adjusting the communicator so that the feed would reach the Great Fox, "ROB, prep the Landmaster for drop. Slippy, suit up and prepare to take my Arwing. I'm joining Jacques, Calgar and Farsight on the ground."

Huh? Slippy was alarmed, Y…you want me down there?

You're going down there by yourself? Krystal was worried.

Playing hero again, are we? Falco was cynical.

And right in front of the Imperials lasguns and bolters as well, Katt decided to add, You're gonna get yourself killed a lot faster, you know.

Fox frowned, "I'm giving orders, team. Slippy, weren't you complaining about being useless. And Krystal, I won't be alone…Jacques, the Tau and a fraction of humanity will be there."

I'm coming with you Fox, Krystal said, with Fox seeing her pull a u-turn with her Arwing and flying towards him.

"Krystal!" Fox sounded impatient, "I want you covering me from above!"

He then thought, 'So you don't get hurt.'

The next time Krystal spoke, she sounded heated and she startled Fox, I know what you're thinking, Fox. I can take care of myself on the ground and in front of the enemy! Jacques even said so…

"Krystal."

I'm not letting you face this by yourself.

"Krystal!"

We can face this evil together. We can end this battle a lot sooner.

"KRYSTAL!" he shouted, nearly deafening everyone hooked up to their com line, "Stop arguing with me and do what I say!"

Krystal herself was startled by this outburst, never before hearing him direct his frustrations towards her. Before she was feeling frustrated with being treated as a fragile porcelain doll, not so much at Jacques with him being her guardian and bother, but not she begun to feel sad. Not because she was being yelled at by her vulpine love, but that he felt that way towards her and that was clouding his judgement.

Not wanting to make things harder on the both of them, she sighed in defeat and said, "Alright, Fox. Air support it is."

She heard him exhaled loudly, "Th…thank you, Krystal."

As she piloted her Arwing back towards the others, she saw Fox heading back towards the Great Fox, with sadness and hurt dancing in her eyes. Fox was immediately cursing himself mentally…

'You stupid retarded vulpine! Had to raise your voice, didn't you?'

----------

"The mongrels have been whipped!" a half-naked pink dyed male cultist screamed joyfully, "PRAISE SLAANESH, PRINCE OF EXCESS!"

He was swatted out of the way by a blonde-haired robed Slaanesh Aspiring champion, whose chainsword dripped with the blood of the Cornerian. Those few Cornerian still in this part of the base fled towards the bunker situated outside the railyard base, and those soldiers in the trenches outside the bunker fired away at him, his fellow Slaanesh Marines and the charging meat shield that were cultists, both human and kemono.

The aspiring champion turned towards his fellow Marines, and especially four of them who were equipped in more ornate pink/black power armor and carrying weapons resembling bolters but with intricate designs. He smiled, knowing that these chosen _**Noise Marines**_ were armed with the much-revered sonic blasters. The Noise Marines turned to him and saw him nudge towards the trenches. They nodded and charged ahead of the regular Marine and aimed at the Cornerians in the trenches. The Cornerians troopers saw their approach and redirected their blaster and rocket fire at them, each one feeling panicked at the mere sight of Space Marines charging them, not so much as the kemono/human cultists that had hit them everywhere during their retreat.

The Noise Marines lived up to their names as they pulled the triggers of their sound blasters and fired waves of piercing sound and vibrations into the trenches, immediately blasting them upwards and out of the cover, blood pouring from their eyes, noses and ears. One Cornerian soldiers from the trench closest to the bunker gritted his teeth…

"This isn't fair!" he exclaimed, "We don't stand a chance against these freaks."

"Hey…! GET BACK HERE!"

Bombarded by the curses and threats from his fellow soldiers as he got out of the trench and attempted to retreat into the bunker. A Noise Marine through his superior hearing of his rapidly panicking heart caught wind of him and the Cornerian felt his life ended abruptly and instantly when a sound blast swept over him and tore his uniform and armor off him like paper and fleecing the skin off his bones.

The aspiring champion grinned as he and his Marine moved forward, bolters firing and cackling evilly along the way. He cried out loud, "For CHAOS! FOR SLAANESH!"

The cultist charged ahead of them, laspistols and short blades drawn. The cultists looked up to see drop pods falling from the sky and down towards them. This momentary distraction on their part allowed the remaining Cornerian troops to seek deeper cover, and before the cultists to move an inch worth of muscle the pods landed and sent those that weren't crushed flying. The Slaanesh Marines that stayed back watched with wide, angry eyes at the arrival of the Ultramarines.

The champion leading them sneered, "So…the Imperium wants to feel the pleasure-maker's wrath. So bet it!"

He raised his Slaaneshi power sword into the air and screamed. The Chaos Marines all let out their own individual war cries and charged.

As for the attacking Ultramarines…

"**COURAGE AND HONOUR!"**

…the sides of their drop pods burst open as they landed on the earth. The 25 Space Marines charged forward with weapons blazing, their individual squad hails of bolter, plasma and rocket fire immediately tearing apart every unarmored cultist squad their targeters picked up and locked onto to. Every Cornerian soldier was wise enough to take cover as 1st Company Marine went on the attack, taking cover in their crudely-dug trenches or within the building remains that had served as their headquarters.

Calgar and his Honour Guard took the lead in the attack, his Gauntlets immediately swatting a pair of cultists and sending them flying some distance away from the battlefield. Another cultist fired a boltpistol at him, which struck him twice in the chest, but he shrugged it off brought both his fists down on the canine cultist, pummeling him to death and sending blood and viscera up into his face.

"RAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The Ultramarines attention turned to the approaching Slaanesh Marines who charged across the no-man land, bolters and sound weapons blazing, as well as letting loose shrill screams of war from their modified vox-casters which let out piercing blasts of sound out of their mouths. The Cornerian soldiers all covered their ears and gritted their teeth from the sound, while the Ultramarines winced at their enemy's advance.

"NOISE MARINES!" Tigerius cried, then gripped his force staff, "THEY DARE SHOW THEIR HERETICAL FACES HERE?"

Immediately a Noise Marine fired his sound blaster at Tigerius, the Chief Librarian stopping the force of the weapon with his psychic shield, but the sound still assaulted his ear drums and immediately struck the gene-seed implant eardrum, causing him to feel slightly dizzy despite his cochlea implant. He sucked it up and balled his right hand into a fist, before thrusting his palm towards the Noise Marine and let loose a powerful psychic blast which was strong enough to tear some parts off the Marine's armor and cause one of his arms to fly off. The Marine staggered forward one step and attempted to pick up his sound blaster.

"I will not let you pick that up," Tigerius growled and charged forward, swinging his force staff.

The staff connected with the Noise Marine's head, the psychic feedback immediately shattering his ornate helm and flaying the flesh underneath it, where a few seconds later the skull exploded and his body toppled over backwards. Satisfied with his grisly kill, the Chief Librarian charged forward.

Calgar grounded a cultist into the ground with his fists, before he turned on the Slaasnesh aspiring champion, who had his Slaaneshi power sword drawn. The champion laughed, feeling pleasure from the wounds he had already sustained, and charged the massive Chapter Master. He swung his sword, Calgar blocked with his right hand, then clinched his left fist and swung at the champion, punching him across the face and knocking him down, but still clutching his power sword. As Calgar advanced on him, the Slaanesh champion swung his sword and skimmed Calgar's chest plating, causing him to wince as the energy from the blade affected the pain reducers in his body. But this didn't stop him bringing his fists down on the champions head and splattering skull matter all over the ground.

The Assault squad was in the air. And with chainswords whirring they descended down on the nearest Chaos Marine squad who stood their ground and fired away at the invading Ultamarines. The Assault Marine sergeant drove his Marine into the chest of the Noise Mairne sergeant and shredded both his hearts and his lungs. He then pulled out his blade and charged at another one, all the while the rest of his brethren were in melee with the other Noise Marines and a few cultists that had foolishly decided to attack them. Those human and kemono cultist soon found themselves picking up pieces of themselves as the Assault Marines turned their attentions to them.

The Terminator Squad plowed forward beside Calgar and his Honour Guard, their stormbolters and flamers filling holes in the cultists and Chaos Marines, the latter realizing too late they were fighting one quarter of the 1st Company. Calgar roared and charged ahead once again ahead of his guard, storm bolters blazing and caught up with a 'tactically-retreating' Noise Marine. The Slaanesh Chaos Marine spun around and cried…

"FOR THE EMPEROR! DEATH TO HIS FOES!"

…releasing a mini-shockwave against the Lord Macragge, whose zeal was that great he didn't even wince at the attack, but instead swung a left hook at the Marine as he drew his blade. The Marine was swatted to the right and fell into the mud. Calgar brought his foot up and down onto the Chaos Marine's back, crushing it and severing his spine. He fired both his storm bolters down at him to finish him off. He then grimaced when he heard a massive ringing in his ears.

Cassius alongside the Devastator and the Tactical squads kept back near the Cornerian HQ, with the Chalpain yelling out litanies and war cries as the two squads with him fired away at the Chaos Marines and cultists, which they can see slowly beginning to fall back.

Cassius turned to the Tactical squad, "Pursue them, brothers."

"Yes, Brother Chaplain!" the Sergeant exclaimed, "TO ME, MY BROTHERS! PURGE THE HERETICS!"

The Tactical squad charged forward, prompting Cassius to turn to the Devastator squad next.

"Continue your fire, brothers!"

"Yes, brother!"

The Marines with the heavy bolters picked up more fleeing cultists with their targets and fired at them, ripping them to shreds. They were momentary distracted when the heavy laser cannon pointing out from the HQ building begun firing away. The Cornerians inside had finally recovered and were rearming themselves.

In one of the furthest trenches one cultist was about to leap over and continue fleeing, when suddenly a Cornerian soldiers reached up and grabbed the cultist and shoved a standard-issue combat knife into his gut. The cultist squealed in agony as the soldier moved the blade across his stomach and disemboweled him, his guts spilling all over the Cornerian.

He immediately took cover when bolter round hit the dirt near the edge of the trench. The offending Chaos Space Marine blazed away with his boltgun, and only stopped firing when the Great Fox II descended from the claws and blotted the sun, casting a massive shadow over the battlefield. That Chaos Marine then spun around to face a Cornerian armed with a minigun and firing away at his chest, causing him to stumbled backwards and fall on his back into a trench, immobilizing him.

Immediately the Cornerian soldier with the knife jumped out of his trench and with two other soldiers they rush towards the Chaos Marine and jumped into the trench. They got to work unscrewing his helmet from his head, revealing his snarling hate-filled face. The soldier gripped his knife and slit the Marine's throat, before proceeding to use it in a saw motion in an attempt to cut the struggling, gasping Marine's throat.

A Space Marine saw this as he stood outside the trench, with great disgust he aimed his boltgun at his Chaotic brother's chest and fired, putting a large smoking hole in his chest.

The Cornerian soldiers grabbed their gun and looked over the field from their trench…

"LOOK!" one of them exclaimed happily, "THEY'RE RETREATING! THEY'RE ACTUALLY GIVING US A BREAK!"

The Space Marine cocked his boltgun and responded, his vox cutting through the Cornerians souls, "They will return, and in greater numbers. And they will definitely bring their daemonic servants with them. The servants…"

He then growled, causing the soldiers to shatter."

"…the servants of Slaanesh, no doubt."

----------

The Great Fox II hovered above the battlefield, with ROB64 at the controls. It was soon flanked by a Thunderhawk vehicle transport carrying two Predator Annihilator pattern tanks, their crews strapped and locked down, ready to deploy once it touch ground. The Thunderhawk landed away from the HQ and disengaged the Predators, where they immediately drove off to join the battle in routing the fleeing Slaanesh Marines. They were attempting to head back into the massive network of several abandoned train yards surrounding a large Venomian base, knowing the reinforcement were arriving form the south.

_The Chaos forces are feeling the Space Marine Landing Zone_, ROB announced over the com, which reached Slippy, Falco, Katt and Krystal's Arwings as they descended from the atmosphere, and to Fox who was strapped in the Landmaster tank, _We will beginning deploying the Tau battleforce momentarily._

Fox flipped a few switches and grabbed hold of the Landmaster's steering control, "Roger that, ROB. Set me down here. Slippy?"

The Arwing next to him roared to life, the amphibian behind the controls kissing the pict of Amanda and tucking into his flight suit. He looked over at the tank and gave a faint smile, "I'm heading out now, Fox. See you out there."

Slippy was slingshoted out of the hangar towards the base, immediately pulling up into the atmosphere towards safety and not plummeting into the ground below. Fox shook his head, regretting putting his childhood friend into danger and possibly arousing the resentment or even hatred of his future wife Amanda.

"Pathfinder team?"

_We read you, McCloud, _came the Pathrinder Shas'ui's voice.

"We'll drop you nearby, and you'll cover Calgar's advance…just as we planned."

Affirmative.

"Calgar, the Scout Team?"

They are already in pursuit of the retreating Chaos force from this zone. They will keep us informed on their activities and will whittle them down through the scopes of their rifles until we engage them again. Do not fear, we will do our part.

Fox smiled, "So far so good. O'Shovah?"

Half-a-click west we will carve out a landing zone for the Sturnn and the 1st Battalion. 2nd Battalion…

Will land a mile southwest from here, Sturnn interrupted, believing he should speak for himself and his army, We will rout the approaching Chaos reinforcements.

Oi! Falco cried over com, If those perverts are packing daemons, they'll tear you apart.

He is right, General, Krystal's melodic voice soothed Fox's senses and nerves as she displayed her admirable concern for the humans, Think hard about this.

I already have, Sturnn responded gleefully, I think a Baneblade supported by a couple of armored companies and thousands of Guardsmen can hold their hold their own against those daemons. Just concentrate on covering me and 1st Battalion and we'll move on from there. All right…everyone knows their place?

"Yep," Fox cracked his fingers, "Let's do this."

FOR THE EMPEROR!

FOR THE GREATER GOOD!

_Er…for Lylat?_ Falco chimed in awkwardly as he tried to add to the mood, _Feh…let's just kill these bastards!_

Fox heard something jump on top of the Landmaster as the bay door opened and they were just above ground. He heard two loud thumps above his head…

_Time for descent, Fox,_ Jacques told him over the com, _Into the firestorm of battle we go!_

Fox's smile widened as he drove the Landmaster forward and out of the Great Fox, with Jacques sitting on top with his arm wrapped around the turret. As they descended Fox made sure his boosters were activated so that they hovered slowly and gently towards the ground. Once the tank touched the ground Jacques leapt off, both Eden and Nemesis drawn.

Immediately he spun around to face and incoming Chaos Raptors, who descended down upon him with their jump packs. Fox attempted to spin the Landmaster around to get a shot, but watched as Jacques quickly and gleefully cut the Raptor down with both his swords, with Nemesis piercing through his chest, then spinning around with Eden in hand and slicing his throat apart. Jacques pulled Nemesis out of the Raptor's chest as he fell over backwards dead.

Cassius ran up towards him, intent on being the first to greet him, and looked almost in awe at the former Ultramarine now Grey Knight. He had once again tapped into the Warp, his psychic presence causing his armor to shine brightly. Energy brimmed around his head like that of a halo. Cassius shook his head in disbelief at Jacques, questions running through his head.

'How could they have transformed him from a Battle-Brother of the Ultramarines to a Battle-Brother of Order 666?' he scrunched his face in thought, 'The process of implanting the anti-daemonic wards under his skin and black carapace at his age would have rendered his whole body inoperable. And why did they remove his Betcher's Gland?'

He then gripped his power mace tightly as he slowly approached him.

'His psychic power must have come from his biological father,' he then sniggered slightly, 'And if only the Grey Knights had known what they had inducted into their ranks, they would not have produced the first xeno-sympathetic Grey Knight to leave the chapter.'

----------

Pathfinder Team, prepare for deployment.

Standing at the end of the hanger where the doors were still open and the wind from outside brushed past their minimally armored bodies and causing La'Jakob's trenchcoat to flap about, the Pathfinders prepared themselves for duty. La'Tash looked at his human friend with a intricate glee on his face as he held his pulse carbine, with Jakob's rail rifle strapped to his back.

"Think you can bear using that thing?" he asked, and clearly were indicating the Exitus rifle that Jakob wielded.

On one knee, Jakob observed the intricate design of the large rifle, looking out through the scope over the battlefield below, and shrugged; "So long as I do not find out this rifle killed any of my friends throughout it's history it feels right in my hands."

The Shas'ui looked over his shoulder at the pair of Pathfinders as he finished programming the markerlight drone, which beeped and begun hovering above the team. He then tapped his ear piece communicator and said, "Drop us off, preferably where there is some elevation."

_Affirmative, _ROB responded, _There is a collection of buildings overlooking the Space Marine drop zone that goes all the way to the center of the base._

"Agreed," the Shas'ui nodded, then gripped his carbine, "Prepare for our leap of faith, bond brothers."

The Pathfinders gripped the handlebars near the hangar bay door as the Great Fox II descended over the roof of an office building overlooking the Marine landing zone. The Shas'ui was the first to leap off the ledge of the hangar and land on the roof, following by Tash then by the rest of the team. The Shas'ui gripped his carbine as he scanned over the rooftop.

"We have landed," the Shas'ui announced into his com, "McCloud."

_Roger, _Fox responded back, _ROB, get clear and go into standby._

The Great Fox then elevated and disappeared back into the skies. With the large rifle in his hands, Jakob looked over Space Marines below getting into formation and readying to go after the Slaanesh loyalists still within the city-like rail base. He eyed the Landmaster below as Fox leapt out of it and joined Jacques and Cassius.

The Arwing then flew overhead and begun circling the site, just as La'Jakob begun to feel uneasy, as if something unseen was radiating down upon him. He hoped that it wasn't just him.

"Shas'ui," he called out, gripping his rifle, "Do you feel that?"

"Feel what, Gue'vesa'shas'la?"

Whether La'Jakob felt like something was amiss, the Pathfinders were wise to grip their weapons a little tighter and keep their fingers itching for the trigger. They suddenly heard faint moaning and groaning from underneath their feet, which raised in tempo as the seconds passed. They then turned their attentions towards the door leading to the stairway into the building, where the screams of passion got louder and…

"Urgh…" one Pathfinder bellowed in disgust, "By T'au…that smell. It's like…"

Suddenly the door smashed open, revealing a completely nude heavily muscled black lupine with a spike collar around his neck, devilish pink eyes, foam seething from the mouth and the mark of Slaanesh on his forehead. La'Jakob could smell the cultist from the back of the team, and was immediately repulsed as he felt his nose and senses get assaulted.

'That mont'au smells like sex!' he thought, disturbed, as he dropped his Exitus rifle and went for his SMGs, 'The perversion of Chaos is upon us.'

Before the Tau Pathfinders could let off a shot, the collared lupine cultist charged forward the team, brandishing a sharp-looking object. He lunged at the Shas'ui and he managed to fire a pulse blast into his left leg just as the lupine struck the Shas'ui in the heart with the object. The Shas'ui staggered back and looked in horror as the weapon that was sunk into his chest and piercing his heart was a paintbrush with it's handle sharpened to the point.

Jakob panicked, "SHAS'UI!"

La'Tash was enraged, "KILL THAT BEAST!"

The lupine took several more blasts to the chest, which did nothing to slow him down as the mark on his forehead glowed and he ran towards them, blood in his pinkish eyes and bloodied fists cracking from being clinched tightly. La'Jakob saw that Tash was his next target and so shoved him out of the way and struck the lupine, flat-palmed, in the heart region.

Jakob eyes widened that too didn't faze the cultist and received a straight punch to the jaw, sending him flat on his back and dangerously close to the edge of the roof. The lupine chortled, then groaned as the continued pulse carbine fire begun to wear him down. Jakob leapt up back on his feet and extended his blades, making sure he to painfully reset his jaw with his left hand, the cracking sound of bone drawing the lupine's attention once again.

The human spat blood, appearing enraged with blood in his eyes. He then ran forward, with the lupine's arms stretched apart as if to take him in a crushing bear hug. Instead Jakob took a step to the right as he ran, and with his left hand forward he grabbed the cultist by the shoulder and propelled himself upwards, before bringing the blade under his right wrist into his neck. The cultist begun choking on his own blood, but the gue'la wasn't finished. Still holding onto the lupine's shoulder, he launched his feet into the air and gripped hold of the lupine's neck in a vice grip with his legs.

He then twisted his legs, another sickening snap was heard, and the collared lupine fell down dead with his head twisted at an odd angle. Jakob landed on the ground and tried to calm his regulate his heartbeat, yet keep the adrenaline pumping. He turned to his fellow Pathfinders and saw them crowding around the fallen form of the Shas'ui, where a Pathfinder had removed the frontal part of his helm and checked his pulse.

"Dead before his back touched the ground," the Pathfinder grimly noted, "The mission must proceed, though."

He then proceeded to pull the paintbrush from the Shas'ui's chest and toss it over to La'Jakob, who got his team leader's blood all over his hand. He was horrified when he discovered that a mere paintbrush had killed the Shas'ui, and immediately it got him thinking.

'Art.'

He then turned to the lupine, noticing his large, muscled, well endowed and somewhat romantic hero-like appearance.

'In it's most corrupted form.'

Tash wiped his forehead, "What do we do now? Jakob?"

Jakob felt all Tau visors and eyes on him, which caused him to feel awkward.

"Me, you say?" Jakob asked, "Well…like what La'Anuk just stated, we proceed with the mission. Now, these buildings are all connected by several walkways, right?"

The Pathfinders looked past the door leading into the building they were standing on top of and saw walkways that connected from this building to the next one, which in turn connected to the next building and so on, all the way towards near the center of the base.

"We will provide cover fire for our allies as they advance to meet the enemy," La'Jakob stated, "Now, shall we proceed?"

The Pathfinders nodded and got up, leaving the body of the Shas'ui on the ground. Jakob believed they should return to recover the body after the mission was complete. As they turned back to the doorway they find a sharp-looking, shapely figure standing in the doorway leaning against the frame, her pinkish slits for eyes glowing brightly. The smell of intimacy and daemon radiated from her and immediately turned Jakob sick once again.

"What the…?"

The creature stepped into the light, causing all guns to aim at her right away. She was a seductive looking humanoid with pinkish/purple bodies and, despite wearing corsets, her breasts were clearly exposed. Writhing tentacle-like hair, white pupil less eyes, elven-like ears and bird-like legs ending in talons. Her hands were replaced with talons as well, and she looked straight at La'Jakob, appearing utterly pissed.

"You killed my lover, human!" she exclaimed angrily, and was clearly indicating the corpse of the collared lupine.

La'Jakob's eye widened, then narrowed as he aimed his SMGs at her, daring her to take a step forward.

"Do not a take single step forward, daemon," La'Jakob hissed at her, "I will not hesitate to send you back where you came from."

The daemonette smiled, and Jakob saw that she appeared turned on by his actions, which disgusted him even more.

"No matter," she sighed, sounding relaxed, "You will do nicely as his replacement."

She then licked her lips and charged forward, talons extended. She knocked every Pathfinder painfully out the way and went for Jakob. He cried out and tried to fight her off as she wrapped her arms around his torso in a crushing hug and driving her knee into his gut, knocking the wind out of him. Before he had the chance to recover his breath she spun around and grabbed him by the back of his neck, thrusting her left talon under his neck and holding it there.

The Pathfinders recovered, and were alarmed to find the daemonette taking Jakob hostage. They aimed their carbines at the both of them, trying to aim primarily at the daemonette, but with her using him as a shield a clear shot wasn't possible.

"Do not move a inch, human," she hissed loudly in his eyes, causing him to cringe, "And keep your hands to your sides and to yourself."

She then added, or rather, purred seductively.

"You can use them on me later if you behave."

La'Jakob tried not to feel any sort of arousal upon hearing that, but did as he was told.

"Mont'au!" a Pathfinder exclaimed, "Let our gue'la comrade go! He is worth nothing to you or to your maniacal human masters."

The daemonette grinned, "Actually, blueskins…his having a soul means much to the Prince of Excess and to my sisters. Should he cooperate, he will find every one of his most sensual dreams come true."

La'Jakob snorted in disgust, "You may as well scratch that. I will not bow to a false god…OW!"

He felt her hand tighten on the back of his neck, causing him to wince more. Then she did something that almost blew his mind, she pressed her naked self up against his back, feeling her warmth radiating all over him, her breath tingling the back of his neck. She then let go of his neck and reached for his left hand, her right hand/talon still trained on her neck. He then moved his hand downward towards her calf, daring him to feel her there.

She grinned even wider, enjoying making him squirm, "Do not be so sure, human."

'By Tau'va,' Jakob thought distressfully, 'She's…she's teasing me…tempting me…'

He then gritted his teeth…

'I must focus….and resist such unclean vices…damn it…'

Jakob tensed when he felt her tongue caress his left earlobe sensually, causing him to shake slightly with fear. La'Tash gritted his teeth, seeing what the daemonette was doing to his friend, and would pull the trigger the moment he got clear. The daemonette grinned, enjoying making this human squirm under her hold, pressing her talon a bit harder on his neck but not enough to draw blood.

She whispered into his ear, "Just for references sake, human…"

She snaked her right 'hand' down between his legs, causing him to wince when she felt her brush against his most intimate area. He gasped when she heard him continue whispering into his ear…

"…you will call me 'mistress' from now on."

La'Jakob's mind snapped as he clenched and unclenched his hands. That was the last straw.

He screamed with red-hot anger, "LET GO OF ME, DAEMON!"

La'Jakob slammed the back of his head against her face, stunning her and allowing him to grab her left arm and twist it behind her back, putting her in a arm-lock. Feeling pleasure from the discomfort he was inflicting upon her she moaned gently; then peered over her shoulder and smiled at him.

"So strong, so capable," she smiled evilly at him, "When I return from the Warp, remember my name…Gal'Kera."

La'Jakob growled and tightened her hold on the daemon, wondering how he can get a grip on the daemon and not somehow feel corrupted by her previous sexual attentions on him. He then placed his foot on the small of her back…

'Ethereals and nature in general forgive me,' he though, feeling ashamed, 'For striking something that resembles a woman, yet is not of nature and must be vanquished.'

He kicked her hard in the back and sent her falling towards the edge, where suddenly a powerful psychic wave struck her and sent her screaming back into the Warp in a blaze of crimson energy.

La'Jakob exhaled painfully in a sigh. His mind clicked when his realized what just happened.

'Mortensen. He just…saved the team and me from that misbegotten corrupter.'

He sighed again and shook his head.

'I suppose he is not all that's cracked up to be after all…even if he is an Imperial.'

----------

Looking upwards towards the roof of the building, Jacques had his left hand pressed against the side of his head, having unleashed that psychic blast and purged the daemon from the material realm back to whence it come from. Fox cringed, having seen his ornate rune-covered armor shine a little brighter because of it, which could have made him go arc eye if he had being focusing any closer.

"A lesser daemon of Slaanesh," Cassius commented, "I should have expected as much."

_Hey, what the heck was that on roof? _Katt said over the com, _I hope it didn't just try to come onto Jakob._

Jacques looked grim faced, "It did. It failed. I sent it back where it came from."

Hell?

"Why not."

Fox, Cassius and Jacques turned to survey the battlefield, with cultist, Slaanesh Marine and Cornerian lying strewn about in and near the trenches. Luckily, and somewhat expected, the Ultramarines didn't suffer one casualty, which wasn't a surprise as these Marines _were_ First Company and older than the railyard base itself.

Fox was then approached by Calgar, who stepped over the body of a Traitor Mairne as he said, "McCloud? You have decided to join us on the ground?"

"Last minute change of plans," Fox explained, "I think our chances will increase by a small percent if there was some more armor on the ground."

Calgar looked over at the Landmaster and grimaced slightly, "If you say so."

The sounds of the heavy bunker door opening drew the attention of the Chapter-Master and Fox, seeing darkness behind the doorway. Immediately a blaster shot rang out from the doorway courtesy of a Cornerian soldier and struck Calgar in the chest, but he merely shrugged it off.

"MORE HUMANS!" the soldier screamed, "IT'S US OR THEM!"

A Space Marine stepped forward, boltgun raised and aimed at the soldier, but was immediately waved down by Cassius. The soldier was suddenly tackled from behind by another Cornerian…

"YOU FUCKING PISS-DRINKER!" the other soldier yelled in his face, "YOU TRYING TO GET US ALL KILLED?"

"Privates stand down…"

Another Cornerian, an alsatian officer, revealed himself now.

"…I recognize one of the Marines."

Jacques smiled as he too recognized the alsatian officer…Commander O'Reilly.

"O'Reilly," Jacques waved at him as he stepped forward to greet him.

Cautiously making sure his blaster was at his side, O'Reilly stepped out of the doorway, "So you decided to come back after all…"

He then glanced over at Calgar.

"…and you brought some friends with you."

Calgar frowned, "I am the Chapter-Master of the Ultramarines, the Lord Macragge. Once again Chaos has drawn us here to this system, and to this world."

"Since you boltheads spent hundreds of years fighting one battle at a time with these devil-worshippers, I guess we should be thankful," O'Reilly stated, hoping they could spot the sarcasm in his voice.

Tigerius wrinkled his nose as he too frowned, 'They speak sarcasm before the Lord Macragge, not concerning of the consequences of insulting the Emperor's Chosen. They show no fear before us.'

He then smiled lightly, which O'Reilly noticed as the Chief Librarian stood behind Calgar.

'I guess the furs are more resilient than the Ordo Xenos dare let on.'

Calgar crossed his large mechanical arms and bellowed, "You should be thankful, as well as grateful. For once again the warriors of Ultramar have descended from the sky to save you from the Ruinous Powers. Now…"

He noticed Fox stepping up towards him.

"…what is the strength of our opposition?"

O'Reilly shrugged, "Oh hell…before we lost contact with every platoon in this network of rails and boxcars they described a whole legion of Chaos Space Marine flanked by hundreds of cultists – human and Lylatians, and traitor Cornerian Defence Forces."

"Damnation!" Cassius cursed outwardly, "We had hoped that those Cornerian minds would have stood up to the lecherous whispers of the false Gods."

The Chaplain gripped his Crozius Arcanum.

"Lord Macragge, we must purge these heretics immediately lest they taint the Cadian 412th and the surviving Lylatians here."

Fox turned to Calgar as well, "As long as we don't blow the planet up you got my vote."

Calgar nodded, "Let us go to war."

As they turned away from the bunker and begun to venture into the unknown, both Calgar and Fox wondered about the newfound respect both Chapter-Master and vulpine had for one another. Thought not on the same level as Fox and Jacques, they are prone to agreeing with each other on matters on warfare and fighting Chaos, and that definitely laid out how willing a small miniscule percentage of humanity was willing to side with Lylat in fighting Chaos.

"Oi, McCloud, Space Marines!" O'Reilly exclaimed, "We're tagging along with you!"

Fox turned to him, eyebrows raised and appearing coy, "Sure that's a good idea, Colonel? You did get hit pretty hard!"

O'Reilly glared and walked straight up to Fox, looking him threateningly in the eye; prompting an alarmed Jacques to step forward, but was held back by Tigerius. O'Reilly had noticed that and snorted slightly.

"You want to know what those heathen bastards did to nearly every man and woman here on this base?" O'Reilly asked, "Things that make even the toughest of us struggle to keep the bile down."

He then nudged towards the gathered Ultrmarines.

"And I will not let the Imperium bail Lylat out again every time those Satanists come to take over," O'Reilly continued, his voice raising in pitch, "Falconia, Evergreen and Papetoon. They're not going to blow up another planet just to keep them in Hell and prove they are superior to everything else in the universe."

"Superior, Cornerian dog?" Calgar questioned.

O'Reilly turned to him, still sour, "Don't be coy, Marine…it insults me. The 25 of you will probably end up taking this planet back from the perverts …but this time…

He pointed down at the ground.

"We're going to be there right beside you, bolters and blasters firing. This is _our _home system and _we _are supposed to protect it_. _You hear me, Marine?"

Calgar looked at him, practically seeing the determination ooze right out of him. He had to smile…

'If these kemonos want to die, or experience something worse than death, then who I am to deny them the right to martyrdom?' he ruminated mentally, 'Even in service to their 'God'?'

Fox nearly jumped when his communicator beeped after this short period of silence. He answered it…

"Krystal?"

_Something's very wrong, Fox, Jacques, Lord Macragge, _Krystal answered, sounding distressed, _I'm sensing massive taint approaching your position._

Fox and O'Reilly swore they heard the Space Marine around them elicit silent throaty growls as they gripped, and somewhat petted, their weapons. Jacques reached for the sword sheath to his side and drew Eden, then drew Nemesis from his back, both swords glowing brightly as his psychic power fed power to them.

Calgar looked over at the base at the end of the no man's land grimly, before turning back to O'Reilly and stating, "You have five minutes to rally what is left of your troops."

O'Reilly smirked, "More than enough time."

----------

Krystal felt ill, feeling something close to a hundred migraines assaulting her head at once, almost causing her to let go of control stick. She cursed herself for tapping into the Warp at this time, being able to hear and feel Slaanesh's cruel, lewd designs for this planet and the people still on it. There was a massive daemonic presence building up in the center of the base, and just sensing it made her hair stick on end…as if she was aroused.

She berated herself mentally, and tried to think of something else.

'Fox,' she thought, 'Why were you so insistent on keeping me in the air? You need me to keep the taint off you. Do you really think you can take Chaos head with only a tank?'

That was when she closed her eyes silently prayed.

"Jacques…brother, please protect him," Krystal implored quietly, "And yourself. Mother, father…"

She sighed.

"…I'll make you proud, I will avenge you and Cerinia. Through me, our people will once again rid Lylat of Chaos."

----------

"Alright, let's pack it up," O'Reilly ordered, blaster at his side as he stepped back into the bunker, "I never thought I'd ever say this, but we're tagging along with the Marines, and blowing away anything that doesn't have the Cornerian logo or the Double Eagle on it."

"Yes sir!" officers and soldiers alike exclaimed as they all armed themselves and prepared to accompany the colonel.

Just then another soldier ran up to him and saluted, "Colonel, sir. 5th Platoon has just arrived."

"5th Platoon?" the alsatian colonel sounded surprised.

"What's left of them actually, sir."

The soldier stood aside to allow O'Reilly two see to more Cornerian troopers to practically drag the mastiff Sergeant-Major of 5th Platoon into the command room. O'Reilly was disturbed to see him covered in blood, which dripped all over the floor, and that thousand yard stare of his looked as if he had seen something more evil than war itself.

O'Reilly shrugged off the soldiers helping him and stepped before the Colonel, "Colonel O'Reilly, reporting in, sir."

Colonel O'Reilly returned the salute, "Sergeant-Major, you look like seen Hell…"

The mastiff nodded, and turned his face to the side to spit blood, "The…their all dead, sir. My entire platoon's being wiped out…before they were…they were…"

He couldn't control his emotions or his wracked body as he fell to his knees and begun weeping, much to the dismay of O'Reilly and the other Cornerian officers. The memories of what the loyalists of Slaanesh inflicted upon the men under his command were completely burned into his mind. After about a minute he composed himself and wiped the tears from his eyes as he looked up to face his superior officer.

Still on his knees, he said, "I…I bring a message…sir."

O'Reilly queered his eyebrows, "From whom…or what?"

The Sergeant Major cleared his throat and stood up, before he relayed what the Farseer had told him…

"_Your secrets and desires will be turned against you. So long as you remain loyal to yourselves and your home system, you will find no enjoyment, but absolution_."


	20. Chapter 17b: Slaves to Darkness

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_A/N: To anonymous reviewer __**Josh. **__Yeah I did get inspiration from Dawn of War, seeing as how it is part of the Warhammer 40,000 universe and one of the best strategy games ever made._

_Music listened to while writing this: Mostly __**Rammstein **__and __**Bolt Thrower.**_

* * *

Chapter 17b - Slaves to Darkness (continued)

* * *

Ahead of the massive fleet of heavy transport ships descending from orbit towards the surface of MacBeth, each one filled with thousands of hundreds of Guardsmen and their vehicles, was the General's Aquila Lander.

Sitting in the passenger cabin of the Lander beside Commissar Plymouth, the Guardsmen, officers and Ecclesiarchy Priest that made up his command squad, General Sturnn looked almost emotionless as he prepared for the imminent touchdown on tainted ground. He silently prayed that the Emperor would shield him and his men from the lures of Slaanesh.

"Are we certain that it's Slaanesh we are dealing with?"

An officer was going over a freshly scribed scroll, eyes darting downwards as he carefully read it, "Reports of mass cultist activity, described by kemono communiqués as being scantily clad to not clothed at all with pink or pinkish-purple body paint suggests Slaanesh involvement. These are confirmed with the presence of the Emperor's Champion Traitor Legion."

Plymouth snorted, "My instincts were correct after all. One can sense the lures of the Pleasure God anywhere in the universe."

Suddenly the side of the Lander was hit by a lascannon blast courtesy of a passing Chaos Claw, shaking the cabin interior violently. Sturnn was thrown from his seat and landed on his back on the floor…

"Tis' judgement day on us at last!" the priest exclaimed fanatically, clutching his effigy of the God-Emperor, "We shall finally join the Emperor in his realm!"

Sturnn cursed out loud, "But not so soon! PILOT…!"

_My Lord General!_

"What's attacking us for God-Emperor's sake?"

_Claw fighter! It's broke off from approaching southern hemispheric Chaos fleet in orbit!_

"Dirty furs!" the standard bearer of the command squad cried as he gripped the folded Cadian 412th battle standard tightly, "With all due respect General, Lord Commissar, what good are they if they can't keep the Chaos air threat off us?"

_Everyone hold on! _The pilot intercom exclaimed, _The Claw is coming in for another pass! EVASIVE MANEUVERS!_

The Chaos Claw strike fighter spun around and dodged oncoming fire from the gun emplacements from the other heavy transports and gunned straight for the Lander. It charged it's lascannons to full power, enough to destroy it and all on board completely, then two blue plasma blasts struck it's hull from underneath and destroyed it, the explosion a mix of yellow, red and crimson.

The offending starfighter, an Arwing, emerged from the explosion victorious and sailed past the Lander, relieving both pilots. Looking out the window, an officer noticed the Arwing…

"By God-Emperor, that was a near thing," he exhaled with relief and smiled, "That fur saved our lives."

_You better believe it!_ The Arwings' pilot hacked into their com channel, causing that officer to jump with fright, and the priest to frown. The voice then sounded upbeat as the Imperial's translator units relayed his Lylatian into Gothic, _Ready to thank this 'dirty fur' for saving your crapholes?_

"You vile xeno!" the priest shrieked, "You deny us our entry to the Emperor's realm and dare subject us to your bastardization of the Emperor's tongue?"

_Hmpth! Then switch your translators off and whip yourself to death!_

Sturnn slapped his hand over his face and smiled mirthlessly, amused at the verbal jousting between the Arwing pilot and the priest. "This is General Sturnn. Ignore the priest, Cornerian. Identify yourself."

Falco Lombardi, Team Star Fox. Y'know, you pompous officer types got real balls flying ahead of the other ships, Sturnn.

'Pompous? He dares doubts the fearlessness of the Emperor's soldiers,' Plymouth thought, 'Why that smart-alec xeno falcon!'

"I'm flattered," Sturnn replied, then painfully added, "We…thank you for the assist."

Heh…hope they don't burn you for forcing that last bit out. Falco out!

The Arwing then disappeared from sight and back into the clouds below, leaving a cabin full of intrigued, amazed Imperials, surprised that some non-human that appeared to intensely dislike or even hate them had just broken off from the rest of team to save their lives. And that he had stood up to a priest of the Ecclesiarcy – The Church of the God Emperor, spoke volumes of him.

"I hope we meet that damned alien again," the priest iterated irrationally, "I'm personally brand 'dirty xeno' on his forehead and pluck his feathers myself."

Sturnn shook his head. Those damned Imperialism believers were definitely going to have Lylatian opinion turn on their human allies eventually. And that would definitely mean bloodshed on the Imperium's part.

--

Falco grumbled under his breath as the railway complex came back into view through his canopy, contemplating whether he should have let the General and his henchmen to the Claw. And in doing so let Calgar take command of the Imperial Guard dispatched this world, as he seemed to not want to wipe Lylat off the star map.

And speaking of Calgar, ever since he met the Lord Macragge memories of Falconia returned to him like a tidal wave, especially when he had personally freed him from being sacrificed by his own father to Khorne. When he thought of lying on that alter he subconsciously let go of the Arwing's control stick and rubbed his wrists where the chains had held him as his father stood above him, drenched in blood and garbed in Khornate ceremonial dress.

Hey birdy, you still there?

Falco shook himself out of his state of thought, and caught a glimpse of the other Arwing forming up on his left wing.

"Yeah…I'm still here kitty. I'm talking to you right now."

You saved those old farts that Claw was harassing?

"And they weren't about it," the avian griped, "Honestly, you'd think at least some humans were afraid to check out permanently."

_Speak for yourself, avian, _Cassius intoned impatiently over the com-line, _Your commander has new orders for you._

"You mean Fox?" Falco grinned, "Jeez…didn't think he'd adopt that old merc rank since Peppy's days."

_I haven't, _Fox growled over the com, _And thanks for that, Chaplain. Falco, I need you, Slippy and Katt to provide support for Farsight and the XV88 Crisis Suits. They'll lead the way for the Cadians._

"Right, babysitting the armed pacifists, got it. You and Krystal?"

_We'll stick with the Marines._

_Fox, _Falco heard the vixen address Fox, _What about 2__nd__ Battalion? When they land, they will be overwhelmed when they engage the Chaos reinforcements…which will be here at the complex in about fifteen minutes?_

_Never you mind, Cerinian, _Admiral Nero now joined the broadcast, _Marauders will deliver the Emperor's mailed fist upon the pleasure cult's heathen heads._

Falco's eyes widened in shock. From the vid-disks he watched of the Battle for Kew the Marauder Bombers had practically leveled the entire planet, or at the very least their major population centres and military installations, causing much of the civilian death toll. He could picture imagine the railway complex, equally the size of a small town, as nothing but rubble once they made their pass over the complex.

"Er…atmospheric Bomber aircraft, Admiral?" Falco sounded as formal as possible.

Nero sounded gleeful, _Yes. Once General Sturnn makes planet fall the Marauder and their Lightning, Thunderbolt escorts will soften the enemy positions no doubt firmly entrenched within the complex. I would advise all Cornerian forces still within the base to retreat towards the Ultramarines or Cadian landing zones, should they be caught within the barrage._

Falco frowned, "You'd like _that_, wouldn't your Nero?"

Nero sounded flustered, _McCloud, control your avian's tongue if he can't do it himself._

The blue falcon avian couldn't keep his anger in check, tired at the way the Imperial's spoke about himself and the denizens of the Lylat System. What he said next would send vibrations throughout the Coalition, and would definitely put the Admiral in his place, and letting him know that he could never intimidate Team Star Fox and it's ace pilot know as Falco Lombardi.

"I can control my tongue just fine. And it would like to say…"

--

…_fuck you!_

Within the confines of a enclosed courtyard within the abandoned outer base, the Eldar Guardian in his body-tight black and manilla wraithbone armor sniggered slightly as he and his comrades heard the majority of Falco and Nero's conversation over their wraith-transistors. He then tucked his long orange hair into his helm as he put it over his head. He then picked up his shuriken catapult rifle and stood to attention as the Farseer made herself known, escorted by two of her Seers. She was equipped in full ornate Craftworld Ulthwe Wraithbone armor including her helm, and was now armed with a long singing spear and a twin Shuriken Pistol, which consisted of two pistols attached to each other, one underneath the other. Mystic runes had been drawn on her armor and the robes underneath, giving off a even more mystical aura which surrounded her.

"What amuses you, my kin?" Taldeer asked.

The Guardian bowed his head, "Exalted Farseer. I have heard for myself evidence that falcon known as Lombardi has made it abundantly clear that he disdains the Imperial presence, going as far as standing up and mocking them."

"No doubt the surviving sons of Falconia will feel the least shock should we reveal ourselves to the Coalition," one of the Seers spoke up, "Does it not say that the avians are the creations of Faolchú, the falcon spirit who brought Anaris to Eldanesh during the War in Heaven?"

"That particular piece of record somewhere in the forgotten sections of the Black Library, sadly," Taldeer said, "Now…for there is no doubt that the Imperials, ill prepared to deal with the Great Enemy. And the Cornerian Defense Force, overwhelmed and unknowing of the Great Enemy, will quickly fall to destroyer of all Eldar: Slaanesh…."

She took pause to breathe.

"…even with the Archon with his young brother and the Princess of Cerinia he has love for at both his sides; they will not survive. So it is down to us to watch over him and those he stands alongside, for through him holds salvation for the Craftworld, humanity and Lylat."

She then paused again, and looked down at the ground.

"There can be no doubt that it is Jacques Mortensen who is the chosen messiah as the Black Library dictates."

The assembly of Guardians, Striking Scorpions, Fire Dragons, Howling Banshees and Warp Spiders all stood and readied themselves with their respective exotic weaponry and with their Exarchs at the helms. The Farseer took a step to the side and revealed behind optic camouflage two shining Warp Gates, energy glistening within the portals and ready to take them to locations and lands familiar and unknown.

"We shall provide aide to the Imperial and Cornerian forces scattered around the large railway complex," Taldeer announced, "Whether in crippling the Slaanesh war effort or providing aid to those who are about to overwhelmed. We must remain as scarce as possible, for in time we will reveal ourselves should the Coalition hold and all internal squabbles are resolved as much as possible."

Followed by her Seers she stepped into the left warp gate, where then the Eldar troops divided themselves and marched into the gates as well. All of them were unaware of a shady, armored and burnt figure in the shadows, where one can scarcely make out the symbol of the Hydra on his left pauldron.

The figure gritted his teeth and gripped both a manreaper scythe and a Chaos power sword in his left and right hands respectively, "So…Ulthwe has followed us all here after all. It does not matter should they whittle away the forces of divine Slaanesh, I only need to step through the ashes and deliver the killing blow to the creatures holding that fragile alliance together…"

He then smiled evilly.

"…even the Cerinian. I will sacrifice her myself. Her blood will make this a holy world for the Dark Gods, and I shall be redeemed."

--

O'Shovah's face was as determined and hard as steel as he strapped himself in his modified battlesuit, the clamps under his helm attaching themselves to his armor around his head and his com-systems booting up. His HUD immediately produced a wire-image of the battle area – The central rail network complex and base, which controlled all railway lines all over the planet. He saw through the images that the base was massive, with areas split between rail-yards, storage warehouses, living districts, security sections and administration. The Space Marines landing area were just outside Administration with the Cornerian military bunker just, where they and the Cornerians were currently regrouping.

His HUD pointers reminded him that the Imperial landing zone was the middle of the rail-yards quarter of the base, and detection systems indicated three Arwings were currently heading towards the area. He smirked widely as navigated his battlesuit towards the edge of the hangar, with T'au and Farsight Crisis Suits standing by behind him.

"Adjutant," he intoned of ROB through the com, "Estimated Time to Imperial touchdown?"

_5 minutes, _ROB replied, _We are near the rail sector of the complex. I suggest you deploy now._

"And so we shall," O'Shovah replied, then commanded out loud, "For the Greater Good!"

With ten Crisis Suits at his back, five T'au and five modified Farsight, they engaged their jetpacks and flew out the hangar and down towards the railywards. The T'au pilots armed with their missile and plasma cannons, all the while wondering why the traitor was put in charge of them, and how they could have agreed to the Ethereal to fight beside the Enclaves and their Necron-infused battlesuits. The Farsight pilots charged their heavy gauss flayers and melee blades.

Down below in the railyard, glowing pink eyes looked up madly from behind slits and holes in the boxcars, soft growling echoing around the heretics as they saw the approaching Tau armour. Among them were a squad of Noise Marines, each feeling restless with only listening to their own heartbeats and that of their human and kemono followers.

"FOR SLAANESH – GOD OF PLEASURE, PRINCE OF EXCESS!"

The train cars' doors immediately flung wide open to reveal cultists and traitor Cornerian soldiers, who immediately opened up with a barrage of laser, plasma and rocket fire, mingling amongst bursts of high-pitched sound directed upwards as the descending Crisis Suits. O'Shovah was practically smiling with delight as he was the first to descend and immediately skewered a human cultist with his Dawn Blade, blood once again coating his mysterious weapon. Casting the body aside he was struck by several laser bursts, he retaliated by firing his plasma cannon at the attacking cultists taking cover in a boxcar, immediately blowing it shreds; scattering metal, wood and body parts everywhere.

The Crisis Suits joined their Fire Commander on the ground and begun to lay waste to the rail yards, their opposition not hesitating because their fanaticism to charge them, weapons blazing and blades drawn. The Noise Marine fired away with their sound blasters, which immediately scrambled their communication devices, which didn't matter much as they saw their enemy had just had to tear them apart until the remaining Imperial forces touched down.

Shas'vre'Law touched down on the ground, finding himself wedged between two boxcars. He immediately readied his suit's blades as the door bursted open and cultists charged out, wielding chainblades, machetes and cutting lasers. He frowned as he swung the blade propped onto his left arm and horizontally bisected several cultists, before spinning around and firing his heavy gauss flayer, stripping the flesh off some more heretics. One male cultist lunged at him from behind, attempting to drive his mechanized chainfist into him from behind. He engaged his jetpack and flew backwards through a boxcar, shattering the cultists back, then slowing down and flinging him off himself. He then spun around and fired his gauss flayer, vaporizing him.

O'Shovah went almost crazy with his Dawn blade, reviling the ferocity and bloodshed of melee combat as his battlesuit hacked, sliced, diced and decapitated every cultist that charged him with a blade and a boltpistol in each hand. The Chaos Marines all decided to engage him at once, and O'Shovah realized this when the damage indicator on his Heads-Up Display indicated that a bolter round took off part of the left communication antenna on his helm.

Gritting his teeth and with a T'au Crisis Suit by his side they charged the approaching squad of Chaos Marines who entered the rail yard bolters blazing, one of which was a Havoc equipped with a lascannon. The T'au Crisis Suit and it fired it's burst cannon with it's gun drones blazing away with plasma at the approaching Marines as O'Shovah charged, Dawn shining brightly in the midday sun.

"KILL THE HEATHEN GODLESS XENO!" the Havoc blurted out as his helmet targeter ascertained him as a target.

He fired the lascannon, the beam trailing towards O'Shovah. O'Shovah engaged his side thrusters and sidestepped to the left and the beam just went by him, nicking him only just. The bolts continued to strike his armor, his damage indicator going haywire, until he swung his blade and skewered the nearest Chaos Marines. After flinging the Marine aside he swatted the other Marines aside and went for the Havoc, who would have fired his lascannon again if O'Shovah hadn't sliced the barrel off it. In a fury the Havoc drew his blade and lunged at O'Shovah, putting it through his armor…

"GAH!" the Tau Commander winced in pain, "MONT'AU…!"

He then swung his mechanized left arm and knocked the Havoc aside, then aimed his plasma cannon down at his head and fired, obliterating it and leaving nothing save for ash. He looked down and saw the blade sticking out of his armor, and the pain coursing through his body. He checked his damage meter and discovered that his chest plating had been compromised, but the point of the blade was just poking into his stomach – No serious injury.

_COMMANDER! _Shas'vre'Law exclaimed as he touched down from above next to him, _Your armour…!_

O'Shovah smirked painfully, "It is nothing. I will survive. Now…"

As the battle raged around them, both their proximity indicators flashed as three Arwing flew above the battlefield. O'Shovah smirked painfully…

"The legacy of James McCloud come…"

--

The three Arwings with the avian, the cat and the frog as the pilots flew over towards the rail yards, already catching a glimpse of the action half-a-click away. They saw the Tau battlesuits locked in combat with the cultists and Traitor Marines of Slaanesh, fighting amongst train tracks, trains and boxcars. When they hovered in high altitude above the railways, Slippy was the first to open his mouth and display his awe and sense of relief.

"Man, the Tau are really giving it to those bolter-brains!" Slippy chimed happily, "And those cult maniacs are going down with them!"

_Running commentary not needed, Slippy,_ Falco smirked, _Let's just make a pass, and whoever actually sees a Marine falling back wins. The prize is stopping him dead in his size twenty tracks._

_You're on, _Katt cooed.

They passed above over the rail-yards and the continuing battle, immediately hearing las-blasts hitting the sides of their Arwings courtesy of the cultists. Slippy cringed and gripped his controls a little tighter.

_Relax, _came Falco's voice over the com, _Small las-arms nothing compared against titanium alloy…AH!_

Slippy looked out the side of the canopy to have seen something hard strike the side of Falco's Arwing. The avian had managed to stabilize himself and ascend higher to avoid any more fire.

Rocket-propelled ammunition a different story! Falco exclaimed. Slippy then heard him inquire sharply, Yo Farsight, you guys need a hand?

_Chaos armor are approaching our position from the administration block leading into the railyards, _O'Shovah stated, _I would appreciate if you kept them away from us._

Didn't think those mecha would do well against daemon-possess war machine. We're on it! C'mon, Katt…Slippy, try to keep up.

Slippy frowned and he felt flustered. How he hated it when Falco pushed him in the wrong places.

The trio directed the Arwings towards the outer walls leading into the administration block some distance away from the Tau fight zone. An armored group of four Chaos Predators rolled forward towards the battle, Chaos Marine handling the bolters situated near the portholes. Slippy appeared determined when they swooped down towards their targets, with only one goal in mind and a burning desire to fulfil it.

'Amanda,' he thought, 'I will come back.'

--

And at that moment in her personal quarters back on Venom, Amanda raised her head from the desk she had fallen asleep near, swearing she had heard her lover's voice in the air.

"Slippy?" she murmured, "Was…was that you?"

--

The Predator's chain-linked bolters fired upwards at the diving Arwings, the porthole gunner cursing upwards at Slippy, Katt and Falco as they made their descent. Katt made sure to keep tilting her fighter to the side to avoid the tracer fire, as did Falco and Slippy. She licked her lips as held the trigger down and fired a continuous stream of laser down at the leading Predator. She saw a tracer pierce her left wing, just as she noticed the gunner off the tank let go of the bolter he was firing from the life left his body from having his head rendered off with continuous laser fire to the neck.

Katt then ascended, just avoiding the tank firing it's autocannon up at her. Falco and Slippy locked onto the same tank with their charge lasers and fired at once, destroying the treads of the tank and immobilizing it. Regrouping, they made another pass towards the Predators, which continued to fire up at them with their bolters, while they begun firing their autocannons at the Tau as they rapidly approached them.

"And I thought steel wears away with age!" Katt exclaims with annoyance.

From within the confines of his Arwing, Falco frowned, "Damn! Anyone got a Smart Bomb that can at least immobilize them?"

Don't you?

Falco appeared beat, "Thanks, Slip."

The avian loaded a bomb and dropped it onto the tanks, the ensuring red explosion causing enough damage to immobilize all of them and kill their porthole gunners. But their strong metallic hulls managed to keep them from being blown apart and they continued to fire their autocannons at the in-ranged Tau. Falco groaned, before performing a loop and descending in a dive, firing two charged shots which blew apart the hulls of two tanks. Before he and his wing mates could make another pass however and finish the job, two massive blasts of lance descended from the atmosphere…

"JEEZ LAWEEZ!"

…and narrowly missed the Arwings as they hit the remaining Predators, the resulting explosion large enough and loud enough for the entire base to hear.

La'Jakob and the Pathfinders looked up at the sky to whence the blasts came from. The only human amongst them tried to keep the bad feeling in his gut down, knowing more of the Imperials will be arriving soon.

La'Tash checked his HUD radar, "La'Jakob! Incoming Imperial transports…LZ train and rail yard sector!"

The gue'la frowned, "Well…they are not wasting any time."

He then waved his hand towards the other nearby rooftop overlooking the Space Marines, Cornerian troops and the Landmaster tank.

"Let's move out, and stay out of range of the mont'au and Imperial targeters if possible."

--

Scout Team 1, report!

"Enemy forces retreating towards center of the base. Hold up mainly in administration and residential quarters."

From behind the cover of a destroyed Cornerian APC as they watched Chaos Marines, daemons and cultist run by to relative safety, the Ultramarine Scout Leader's head jerked up from his lying position near the edge of the APC's wheels. His grip on his auspex survey device nearly shattered it as he was startled from the sound of an orbital strike on the planet, interrupting him and his squad mates surveillance of the withdrawing Slaanesh forces.

"Looks like the Imperial Guard's attack has started," the Scout Leader said, "How long until the bombs start falling?"

Another Scout tapped his visor HUD, "Marauder Bombers, ETA five minutes. The Slaaneshi forces are withdrawing towards the centre of the base, Marine and daemon alike. The cultists are hunkering down in administration and living quarters of the base…hold up…"

They saw a procession of 20 human cultists in brightly-colored Slaanesh uniforms step by, two by two, flat palms clasped together as they chanted in a daemonic tongue. Their eyes glowed sensual pink as they walked by, unconcerned of the chaos of the retreat surrounding them. The Scouts watched quietly, maintaining vox silence as the procession passed by their cover and formed a circle, arms spread widely as their chanting grew louder.

_What are those heretics attempting to enchant, Scout Team 1? _Calgar demanded over the vox.

"Unknown, my lord…" the Scout Leader responded.

--

Fox was strapped back into his Landmaster as he heard the exchange between Calgar and the Scout team, with the 2 Ultramarine Predator Annihilators standing by not far away from his position.

…but previous engagements with cultist groups suggest they may be summoning.

"What else is there to summon?" Fox questioned with contempt, "I thought this was a Black Crusade and Chaos is throwing everything they got at us!"

_That is true, _Jacques said over the com, _And what they could be summoning is unlike anything I have ever sensed before…gah!_

Fox's eyes shot open, "Jacques…what just hit you?"

_It is nothing. It is…what I think you call…a headache._

_  
_'Headache?' Fox thought coyly.

Suddenly the noise normally associated with gunfire and maniacal screaming erupted out Fox's com speakers, causing him to grit his teeth in discomfort until they nearly cracked, making him quickly lower the volume. The frequency indicated that it was coming from the Scout Marines' position, and it would appear that their position was compromised.

Damn it! Position's being comprimised! Attempting to fall back…DIE HERETIC! ARGH…TAKING FIRE…!

Scout Team 1, fall back immediately. We shall take it from here, Calgar ordered, then addressed Fox, McCloud, you and the Annihilators take point. Tactical and Assault squads, keep close. Devastator squad, cover us. Forward brothers…for the Emperor.

Fox adjusted the gears in his Landmaster as he and the Predator Annihilators rumbled forward into the base, with the Space Marines squad following close behind in their respective formation, followed in turn by their commanders – Calgar, his Honor Guard, Cassius and Tigerius. O'Reilly and the Cornerian soldiers scattered themselves into squads and followed the Astartes, moving forward in different directions with blaster rifles and other Cornerian heavy weaponry in hand.

One avian pelican armed with a minigun walked in step with his squad until he noticed a fallen, wounded moaning avian albatross cultist lying in a trench with his entrails hanging out following a chainsword disemboweling. The albatross looked up at him with pained pinkish eyes, the pelican returned the stare, with malice and hatred in his eyes. He then stepped forward into the trench, put his left foot out and stomped on the cultist's neck, killing him.

The pelican soldier then spat on his corpse, before muttering, "Falconia."

--

Sturnn breathed in deeply, taking in his first breath of MacBeth atmosphere as he and his command squad stepped out of the Lander, his guards immediately taking point around him amidst the shattered ruins of the train yards. He could hear the sounds of heavy transport ships landing nearby, unloading whole convoys of mobile armor including the mighty Leman Russ battletanks, Chimera APCs, flame-throwing Hellhound tanks Sentinels and the Cadian-Pattern Sentinels with autocannon replacing lascannons. Thousands upon thousands of marching Guardsmen stepped out of other transports built to accommodate them, each platoon supported respectively by a entourage of officers, priests and medicae personnel, and where kept in line by no less then ten Commissars. Half of the men in red and scarlet were specialized only in close combat wearing carapace armor underneath their uniforms and armed with power swords, axes and fists.

Regimental Commissar Plymouth were joined by a squad of Commissariat cadets armed with autoguns, the most experienced cadet armed with a boltpistol and a chainsword. He saluted the Lord Commissar and stood to attention before him and the General.

"Lord Commissar," the lead cadet spoke, "We're ready to follow your lead for the glory of the God-Emperor."

Plymouth returned the salute, then asked, "Bombing status?"

"Commencing in ten seconds, Lord Commissar," the ranking officer in the command squad responded, "General, shall we rally the troops to move in after the Marauders have leveled the base?"

The light humming from above drew their attention to the sky as they saw two-dozen Marauder strike bombers in high altitude in the sky flying above. Thousands of Guardsmen all smiled and begun cheering joyfully, the sight of all those bombers raising morale through the roof. While Plymouth couldn't hold back a smirk, Sturnn looked…stern.

Plymouth's smile faltered, 'Grim…yet determined. As if he knows what will come before any of us.'

O'Shovah looked up to see the bombers flying overhead, silently praying that they could end this battle before it had even started. Suddenly, his internal proximity alarms blared and indications on his HUD told him that incoming Chaos Claw fighters by the hundred were en-route to their position. He groaned slightly, feeling the scratch on his torso flare up.

"McCloud, Calgar, Sturnn," O'Shovah cried, "We have incoming!"

_What? _Fox exclaimed, _Where have __they__ being hiding all this time?_

Falco eyes widened when he stared out his canopy to see the approaching fleet of pink Chaos Claws. His eyes darted cautiously towards Slippy and Katt's Arwings with much evident concern as the trio hovered above the trainyard, the Tau XV88 Crisis Suits and the slowly marching Imperial Guard. He noticed Slippy staring at him through his own canopy, causing him to smile slightly and tap his beak.

Slippy's eyes widened, "You can't be serious!"

A barrage of long-range lascannon fire struck the Arwing trio, immediately causing them to break hover and fly about in rapid succession circles.

"We're gonna get screwed over one way or another!" Falco exclaimed, "And since it's probably gonna be from the Imperials…"

"…we'll see if we can change their minds," Katt finished, "By keeping those flying lascannons off them!"

_Would you kindly? _Sturnn said over their coms, sound exasperated but still determined, _All Guardsmen, Infantry and Armored Fist platoons, advance through the base and secure the southern and southern--west flanks. Once we deal with the daemon and heretical forces here, we'll begin holding out against the forces approaching from the south._

But won't 2nd Battalion handle the enemy reinforcements, Krystal queried over the com, Or…won't they last long against both Marine and daemon?

_I don't planning on throwing away thousands of good souls, Cerinian, _Sturnn explained abruptly, _They will move and engage the enemy as they move here. We planned all this out the few short hours we had following the formation of our alliance._

Despite being under fire from rapidly approaching Chaos fighters, Falco smiled, 'This is getting better, and more complex, by the minute.'

_You think so? _Tigerius spoke into his mind.

Falco frowned, 'Wasn't talkin' to you, cablehead.'

The Marauder bombers and their Lightning atmospheric fighter escorts begun passing by the Arwings, their defense guns immediately firing away at the Chaos claws while the Lightnings engaged them in vicious dogfighting around the bombers. The Marauders then begun dropping their payload of high explosives on the base below, leaving warehouses, office building, rail tracks, train cars and barracks.

"C'mon!" Falco exclaimed, "The humans can't have all the fun!"

The Arwings joined the battle as the Claws engaged the Marauders, attempting to get up close to shoot them down, immediately causing extensive damage to the bombers at the front, their defensive lascannons blazing frantically away at them. The Arwings and the Lightnings hurled themselves amidst the centre of the swarm of Claws, cannon, and missile and laser fire exchanging between Coalition and Chaos. Falco immediately shot down one fighter, before playing chicken with another – with the Claw barreling down towards him and launching missiles, but Falco playing it sly and tilted his Arwing to dodge the missiles and firing a charged laser shot, blowing the Claw to pieces.

Katt dodged cannon blasts left and right courtesy of a pursuing Chaos Claw. She gritted her teeth and felt the tears in her eyes as she fretted over being shot down and leaving Falco all alone. She blinked them away and keep determined. But that determination faded when her flight computer indicated MISSILE LOCK.

The Claw behind her readied to fire it's missile pods, it's human cultist smiling behind the stick controls. And he was still smiling when suddenly a long-beam tore through the side of the hull, pierced through his head, out the other end and splattering brains all over the cockpit. Without it's pilot the Claw descended from the sky and crashed into the railyards, forcing the approaching Imperial Guard to tread past it with caution.

Katt saw on her flight-com that she was no longer being pursued.

"Hey!"

--

The Eldar Ranger Delanos smirked as he lowered his long-rifle as he and the other members of his party observed the aerial battle above the base, seeing that the Imperials will not be able to level the _entire_ base because of the Chaos air defenses. However, he felt glad because he was able to pull off a long-range shot on the pilot of a space fighter and bring it down.

"Good shooting," another Ranger patted him on the shoulder, "But I am concerned if those fallen aircraft will gradually pick off the Coalition forces, and if more comes to fight."

Delanos looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowed, "Leave that to the Farseer and the Seers themselves."

--

Slippy grinned as he piloted his Arwing after the Chaos Claw who tried desperately to evade him, and was leading him towards the small fleet of Marauder bombers. He dodged their defensive lascannon as he went after the single solitary Chaw, making sure to aim his weapons at him and not the bombers they were flying rings around.

"Your tainted hide is mine, freak!" Slippy exclaimed as he got a homing lock on the Claw and fired, the charge shot blasting it apart.

This is Bomber 4 to unidentified Arwing, Gothic was heard over Slippy's com which his translator unit pronounced in the Lesser Gothic language that the denizens of Lylat used, Stay out of offensive and defensive line of fire.

"Copy that," Slippy reported, "Hey, aren't you still dropping bombs?"

We're taking extensive damage. We will attempt to retreat back to a minimum safe distance. Do you copy, Admiral?

God-Emperor damn it all! Nero's voice blazed over the coms, If we had know that Chaos had a substantial air presence here. Withdraw immediately…we can't very well sacrifice the only aircraft crew we currently have.

Well, so much for that, Falco muttered, Fox, the tin-cans and the t-shirts are gonna have extended play…SHIT SLIPPY! LOCK OUT!

Falco's shout startled Slippy when he realized that a Claw was heading toward him without intent to shoot him down, but rather to crash into him as it dodged the bomber's defensive fire and the Lightnings that were pursuing.

"WHAAAA…!" Slippy shouted.

EVASIVE MANUEVERS, ARWING! One of the Lightning pilot's exclaimed, INCOMING!

The Chaos Claw made impact with Slippy Arwing, taking off all of Slippy left wing and shattering the canopy. He screamed out loud…

"ARGHHHH!"

…as he closed his eyes to avoid bits of glass which embedded themselves all over his face, causing him to let go of the controls to pick them out. Falco looked on in the horror as Slippy's Arwing fell out of the sky amidst the massive dogfight above the train complex, before he locked onto the attacking Arwing…

"MOTHERFUCKER!"

…and destroyed it. Slippy gritted his teeth and slightly opened his left eye, just enough to know he was about to crash. He reached for the control stick and pulled upwards so that when he made impact on the ground within the admin grounds of the base, his only his remaining wing tore off as most of the hull, following by rapturing the G-Diffuser and skidding across the grounds. He was then thrown from the cockpit when the Arwing slammed into wall and he was thrown out of it and landing on the pavement in front of the MacBeth Distribution Office building.

His face was a mess, as well as his jump suit, which was bloodied and torn with fresh cuts and bruises marring it. He had lost his trademark cap and he could taste blood, with the bile reaching his throat before he sucked it back down as he moaned in pain. Left arm covering his chest and struggled to get back on his feet and turn to look at his shattered Arwing.

He snorted painfully, "Well…this sucks."

--

Slippy, NO! Come in Slippy…COME IN! Fox, Jacques, Katt, Falco…? He's down!

Jacques was incensed to hear Krystal cry in despair as the sound and screams of Slippy crashing into the admin block was heard on the secured flight channel of the coms. Already he was on edge over whatever horrible fate was in store for the frog if the Emperor's Children got their tainted gauntlets on him. He gritted his teeth and spun toward the Landmaster leading the Space Marine and Cornerian advance into the base.

"Damnation! Damnation! DAMNATION!" Jacques bellowed in frustration, before tapping his vox, "Fox, did you…?"

Goddamn it Jacques, I heard the transmission as well! Just tell me that we're close to his position so we can pull him out of there.

Calgar looked up at Solar in the sky to see the dogfighting and the passing Marauders, seeing as how they had stopped their bombing run and were attempting to pull out. He looked ahead to see the devastation they had caused in the form of scorched earth, bombed out buildings and shattered roads and pavements. He looked over at Tigerius, he shook his head earnestly.

"Negative, McCloud," Calgar responded, "The Arwing crashed on the other side of the administration area. Which is where the Cadian 412th 1st Battalion will attack after the railyards. They can secure Toad then."

Fox breathed in and exhaled roughly, trying not to hyperventilate with fear and worry over Slippy. He responded as coolly as possible, "Shit…he just needs to keep his head down until they can pass through and take him along. And if the damn past is any indication…"

I advise you to not doubt his instinct for survival, Fox, Jacques noted menacingly to Fox, It served him well back on Papetoon and the Beltino Space Station.

Fox exhaled and muttered, "Suppose not."

O'Reilly glanced side to side as he held a double-barreled heavy blaster in his left hand, his right hand inching towards the combat knife in it's sheath on his left hip. The men in his command were in pairs as they scattered themselves around the Ultramarines marching in tight formation. A Space Marine was at least twenty steps close to the other, with Calgar and his Honor Guard in the middle, with Cassius and Tigerius and his left and right hand respectively.

So far they had encountered no resistance, as true to intel that the enemy were retreating and they had been progressing forward slowly, allowing the bombs to drop ahead of them. But now that the air strikes had been aborted it was inevitable that they were going to be attacked sooner then they had thought. And ever since the Ork WAAAGH! on MacBeth last year O'Reilly had been training himself vigorously hand-to-hand, as seemingly every other military force in the universe had some sort of blade training.

And that training was immediately put to use when suddenly a naked, furless male feline cultist unburied himself from the ground behind him and lunged at him with a knife. O'Reilly spun around as he unsheathed his combat knife and instantly drove it up through the lunging cultist jaw and through his brain, snuffing him out instantly. He pulled his blade out and let the gargling feline drop to the ground, choking on his own blood and brain matter before dying.

"INCOMING!" O'Reilly cried as the shrill screams and cries of lust and sensuality assaulted the air.

Jacques turned his head to see that the colonel had killed a cultist, before looking back to a pink-skinned, velociraptor-like daemon with a daemonette riding upon it slammed itself into him. It sent him sprawling onto his back, knocking Eden and Nemesis out of his hands as it tried to wrap it's long tongue around his neck. Jacques gritted his teeth as he gripped the tongue with both his fists.

The daemonette smiled and patted the Steed of Slaanesh she rode on, "You know you can never resist her."

The steed howled when Ultramarine took aim at it and fired, it's cry immediately silenced when Jacques tore it's daemonic tongue. He then concentrated intensely to unleash a psychic attack that caused the steed and the daemonette to be blasted back into the warp in pinkish flame, the daemonette screaming in agony.

"Foul daemons approach us!" Tigerius exclaimed, then gripped his force staff and plasma pistol, "To arms, my brothers and you dogs!"

Daemonettes and cultists riding the Steeds of Slaanesh came galloping towards the Ultramarines and the cultists. Fox cracked his knuckles and gripped his driving controls as the fighting men took aim and begun firing at the approaching Slaanesh loyalists. Jacques recovered both his swords and immediately swung Nemesis, beheading the cultist armed with a chainblade riding it, before spinning around and driving Eden into the steed, killing it also. He then raised his left gauntlet with the storm bolter and blasted more cultists off their steeds. The steeds altered course and lunged for the Ultramarine, and particularly Tigerius.

The Chief Librarian grinned raised his right hand holding the plasma pistol to his head and the psychic hood he wore as he concentrated, before firing a massive wave which incinerated the daemon with holy writ and sent them back to the warp. Calgar pounded his gauntlets together, then raised his left fist into the air…

"FORWARD, MY BROTHERS!"

…. as cheers broke out amongst the Marines and the Cornerians as they charged forward into administration sector to meet their daemonic and cultic enemy. Fox rolled his Landmaster forward besides the Predators, taking point and firing their plasma cannon and lascannons at the charging enemy. The Cornerian rushed forward and took cover towards behind the tanks, providing cover fire for the Space Marines as they charged forward, bolters and swords drawn. The Assault Marine squads were the first to dive in, chainswords whirring followed by the Tactical and Terminator squads, while the Devastators kept near the tanks and the Cornerian, also providing cover fire.

Fox kept firing his plasma cannon at the approaching daemons and cultists, sending many flying in the air as the shots hit the earth near them. He stopped firing when the Marine came in to melee. Calgar's and his Honour Guard threw themselves into the fight, their ornate armor, short swords and gauntlets immediately glistening with cultic and daemonic blood. Letting loose with holy fury, Cassius swung his mace and sent a daemonette and her steed flying, before bringing it down on a lying incapacitated cultist and practically splattering him into the ground.

Jacques swung both his sword and sliced down Slaanesh loyalists and daemons to his left and to his right, thoughts of the members of Star Fox giving him the will to fight. He spun towards the Terminators blazing away with their storm bolter, heavy cannon and flame-throwers, and saw how they cut down cultist and daemon left and right, blood covering much of the earth they stood on.

'Where are the Emperor's Children?' he thought, 'Surely they would have noticed how advance after them?'

He stopped his swordplay for a moment to tap his vox, "Slippy…Slippy, can you hear me? At least whimper to let me know you are alive."

Nothing but static was on the other line.

"Damn!" he exclaimed, then sensed a daemonette charging him from behind, prepping his storm bolter as he spun around and blasted her head off.

Having heard Jacques' futile plea to Slippy, Fox couldn't stand sitting in his Landmaster doing nothing. He changed the gears and rolled forward towards the centre of the battlefield, startling the Cornerians having taken cover behind him. The Ultramarines saw his approach and were wise to get out his way. Cassius spun around to see him and immediately darted towards him and jumped up onto the tank.

Fox cringed when he felt the heavy weight on top, and was about to say something when Cassius immediately bounded off the Landmaster and throwing himself into a small group of advancing cultists, knocking them all down and finishing them off with his plasma pistol. Jacques was startled at seeing Fox advance forward ahead of him and the Space Marines.

"Fox!" he exclaimed, "What are you doing?"

Going ahead, Fox responded, Slippy's in trouble!

Calgar smiled, silently thanking the green frog for giving Fox cause to go ahead and risk his own fur.

"Devastator, Terminator and Predator Annihilators, follow him," the Lord Macragge commanded, "Tactical and Assault squad, keep in rank behind them. Tigerius, the 412th?"

Tigerius checked his auspex and reported, "Advancing now."

Jacques gritted his teeth as the Ultramarine/Cornerian battle force plowed forward into the base, still attacking cultists and daemonettes that got in their way. He looked up to see Krystal still in the air, and heard he squeal…

"JACQUES, I SENSE…BEHIND YOU…!"

A daemonette was about to slash at him with her claws when he heard suddenly exploded, and her body dissipated into the warp afterwards.

--

La'Jakob licked his lips as his finger brushed the trigger and his synthetic eye looking through the scope.

"Nice shot," La'Tash voiced his astonishment at seeing the gue'la take down a daemonette, shooting right past his left ear.

Jakob pulled the rifle bolt back and discharged the empty slug casing, "I thought he would have sensed her coming at her from behind."

The other Pathfinders kept their allies in sight as they trudged along the rooftops, firing away with their carbines, rail rifles and one Existus rifle, providing cover for the humans and furries below. La'Jakob saw that the Chaos Marines were not part of the fight and this immediately worried him. That worry turned into brief horror when…

"RAPTORS! ABOVE US!"

….he looked up to see Emperor's Children Raptors descending, chainswords active and boltpistol blazing. Jakob aimed the heavy rifle up at the nearest one and pulled the trigger, blasting him through the chest but still he descended. La'Jakob knew that he and his team were going to get turned into mincemeat if they stood their ground; on the other hand they would no longer be able to provide cover for the Marines and Cornerians below.

He quickly ruminated that they wouldn't do much good if they were dead, and so ordered desperately, "QUICK, OFF THE ROOF! BELOW FLOOR, NOW!"

Firing upwards at the attackers they all tore down the fire escape stairs which lead up to the roof, quickly and cleanly without any casualties save for one Pathfinder receiving a bolt to the shoulder. Jakob tripped and fell down the stairs, immediately pulling out his SMGs and firing up at the door at the first Raptor to follow them. The Pathfinder fired their carbines at the Raptor, their combined fire managing to knock him back out the door.

"Change of plans!" Jakob exclaimed as Tash and another Pathfinder helped him up, "To ensure our survival, we must link up with our allies out on the battlefield."

"It's better then staying here," another Pathfinder agreed, "Lead the way."

Feeling a bruised rib in his left cage resulting from his trip down the stairs, La'Jakob and the Pathfinders made their way down through the building towards the ground floor, where they would blast their way out of the foyer and out into the administration block. They met no resistance save for a sword-swinging cultist who leapt out in front of La'Jakob…

"YAH!"

…who proceeded to swing both his SMGs across his face in a left hook, right hook manner then kicked him straight in the jaw and knocked him down and out. They exited the building and were met with a squad of Noise Marines, their weapns primed and ready to fire at them. La'Jakob awaited his end, which was narrowly adverted when Krystal's Arwing descended from the sky and fired her plasma cannon down at them, piercing through their armor and killing them off effortlessly.

La'Jakob heard Krystal through his com, Chaos has control of the sky, in more ways then one.

Guessing that she was referring to both the Claw fighters and Raptors, La'Jakob sighed and muttered, "It cannot be helped. We will provide long range support for our forces on the ground from as far as possible."

All right. Can you use your markerlight drone to give me and my friends clear targets?

"That is affirmative, Krystal," La'Jakob said, then called to his team holding the Exitus rifle with his right hand, "Let us move out!"

--

Watching them through the scope of a missile launcher from behind a window from the building the Pathfinders had fled from, a human cultist smirked as he readied to pull the trigger and fire the high-explosive missile that would take them all out with one shot. His targeter indicated TARGET LOCK and was about to pull the trigger when he heard the sound of electricity behind her.

Then felt two sharpened blades pierce through him back and impale him. Killed instantly he toppled forward out the window and landed on the roof of an abandoned ground truck, shattering it's windows and setting off the alarm.

The Eldar Warp Spider Exarch looked down at his handiwork, before disappearing in a blue haze.

--

The Imperial Guard advanced slowly in rank through the railyards, thousands of Guardsmen with attached Grenadiers marching up front in file while the Leman Russ tanks kept to the back, the Hellhounds and Chimera APCs with their Kasrkrin passengers intact, armed with their hell-lasers, plasma rifles and grenade launchers. Cadian-pattern Sentinels led the way for the whole battalion, as did the hundred battle-standard bearers marching forward. It was an extravagant sight, seeing the Cadian 412th in their thousands march into battle…and not fire a single shot yet.

In the center of their army also march General Sturnn and the command squad, Commissar Plymouth immediately getting restless as they heard the sounds of battle between the Space Marines and the cult groups, but so far they haven't being locked in confrontation with Chaos itself. Sturnn looked over at Plymouth…

"You should be careful what you wish for, Commissar."

Suddenly the sound of something falling from the sky caught their attention, before massive blasts of green plasma landed before the army as they approached the buildings of the administration block, shattering structure and unfortunate Guardsmen that were up front. Sturnn gritted his teeth as he moved his hand to shield his eyes from the blur.

"Cornerian plasma artillery!" he exclaimed, "The Fallen Space Marine must have gotten their hands on it!"

The vox-caster Guardman in his squad cried out as his the many distress calls coming through hit him like a stone, "General! Incoming enemy formations!"

As the plasma and dust faded about a hundred steel boots could heard before the majority of the Emperor's Children 13th Company were seen marching towards the Cadian 412th First Battalion, flanked by a hundred daemons, several corrupted Dreadnoughts, Defilers and Predators and thousands of cultists. The cult groups were mostly human not wearing the mark of Slaanesh on their heads but extravagant clothing. Each one of the cult groups was snarling with blades and laspistols drawn and the daemons sharpened their talons, ready to sink them into human flesh. The Chaos Marine all marched in a straight horizontal line, many of which held the battle standard of the Emperor's Children.

"IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR!" they bellowed their ironic insult of a war cry, "DEATH TO HIS FOES!"

The priests and zealots in the Imperial Guard all screamed fanatically, "HERETICS OF CHAOS, YOU FACE YOUR DOOM!"

General Sturnn shouted in the vox, "WE FIGHT IN HIS NAME! CHARGEEEEEEEE…!"

The artillery from the Basilisks and the Defilers at the very back both armies begun raining their payloads on the enemy as both the 412th and the Emperor's Children charged one another, weapons blazing and battle standards and flags raised as both armies converged on each other. Laser, bolter, sound waves and daemonic fire were exchanged as the soldiers of the Imperium all cried out as one while the Chaos Marines and cultist as they marched and charged respectively with guns firing, all cackled and laughed maniacally as the sensations of battle enraptured them. The daemonettes and their steeds wailed as they charged.

The Guardsmen made way for General Sturnn and the command squad as they ran to get to the front of the battle, weapons bared. The cultists were the first to make melee contact with the Imperial Guard, with their blades against the Guardsmen bayonets and sergeant's chainswords and power swords. Sturnn and Plymouth showed no hesitation as they threw themselves against the enemy.

Sturnn grunted with exertion as he swung his lightning claws as the nearest cultists, slashing his throat open before kicking his body away and hurling himself against a lupine cultists and dodged his claw strike, before hacking both his arms off and firing his storm bolter into his face.

"FEAR ME!" Plymouth cried as his fired his laspistol at close range at the cultists while raised his saber into the air for the Guardsmen following to see, "FOLLOW ME, GLORY AWAITS THE FAITHFUL!"

The Commissar then brought sword down and chopped the head of another charging cultist, before parrying the advance off another and thrusting the blade through the sternum of another. He reveled in the righteous bloodshed, but was momentarily disgusted when a priest's eviscerator hacked apart another enemy.

The cultists, though more skilled in hand to hand then the regular Guardsmen all fell against the overwhelming numbers of the Imperial Guard. Many of them were shot in their place by the Imperial laser and special weaponry as they charged, and when they got close to melee they had to contend with the Guardsmen's bayonets. Next came the Chaos Marines, their vehicular support and the daemonettes. The Noise Marines fired their sound blasters, tearing apart dozens of Guardsmen instantly, the combined laser fire on them gradually wearing them down before descending artillery shell set them flying, leaving other Chaos Marines to take their place and continue firing.

The Chaos Predators rolled forward, chain-link bolters tearing apart more Guardsmen and their cannons firing at the closest Imperial vehicle. A Hellhound, fresh from burning a group of daemonettes away, received a cannon shot to the fuel tanks and it exploded in a hellstorm, sending nearly a hundred Guardsmen flying, lasguns and body parts scattering everywhere. The Imperial Leman Russ' turned their attentions towards the Emperor's Childrens' Predators and both tank variation exchanged fire, one Predator immediately blown apart while two Leman Russ' received extensive damage.

The massive battle ranged on for six more minutes, with hundreds of Guardsmen, dozens of daemonettes and at least four Chaos Marines dying every minute. Unknown to them a massive rocket-powered box-like spacecraft descended behind the Imperial lines, where within it's mighty cargo slowly came to life and prepared to roll out.

The Cadian standard bearer of Sturnn's command squad held on the flag standard as high up as he could before he was hacked down by a daemonette, who in turn was blasted away by a chain-lightning throwing psyker. Sturnn lunged towards another daemonette and hacked her physical body down. Chaos Raptors descended from the sky towards amidst the massive air battle already taking place high above.

Suddenly the Chaos lines was struck with a massive explosion courtesy of a massive super-heavy tread tank rolling towards the back of the 1st Battalion. It was armed with massive cannon with a co-axial Autocannon, three twin-linked Heavy Bolters (one sponson-mounted on either side, and one turret mounted on the front hull slope), two sponson mounted lascannons on either side (sharing a sponson with the heavy bolters), and lastly, a fixed-forward hull-mounted Demolisher cannon

Distracting the Raptors as they descended, the command squad was able to defend themselves against their chainswords, allowing Sturnn to strike forward with his lightning claws and the melta-gun equipped Grenadier attached to the squad to open fire and melt the legs beneath one Raptor incapacitating him.

"The Baneblade is online, general!" the vox-caster Guardsman declared almost joyfully, "They've blasted a line in the Chaos defences leading into the administration sector. Reports are already coming in of platoons entering the sector…"

"And pray more able to join them!" Sturnn exclaimed as he dodged a chainsword swing and fired his storm bolter at close range into the Raptor.

--

Slippy felt like he was going to faint with shock when he saw his reflection from a shattered piece of window glass lying on the ground. As if a human hand had scratched him vertically he had four long slashed down his face and over his eyelids, and one large gash across his forehead. Pieces of canopy glass were still embedded in his face and using the crude mirror he picked them out painfully.

"Ow…ah…gah! ARGH!" he screamed when he pulled a large piece from his forehead.

When he heard loud maniacal pleasure-filled laughter come from behind the building he stood before he bit his tongue as he tried to quell his pain and fear, believing that the Slaaneshi Marines and cultists could smell it and lead straight to him and a slow, carnal-violating death. He limped back to his totaled Arwing and struggled to get back into the cockpit. He reached into the glove box and pulled out his laspistol…and a combat knife. He looked at it curiously, relented, then gritted his teeth and forced himself to handle it.

'I know for sure I'm gonna go melee at least once,' he thought, 'Crap, wish I took Jacques up with his fencing training last year.'

_SHIT, SLIPPY! _Falco all but screamed over the com, _FUCKIN' MOVE ALREADY! HORN-HELMETS ON YOUR SIX!_

"What? ARGH…!"

Slippy narrowly dodged a bolter slug as it flew above his head and took off part of the canopy as he leapt out of the Arwing. He whimpered in fear, finally feeling scared for his life as Chaos Marines appeared from behind the rubble of the Predator, eyeports glowing with bolters and sound blasters loaded and charged. He begun to take off as the Marines started firing, their targeters attempting to lock onto to the small stature of a frog.

Slippy wailed in agony as he felt the sound blasters fire at him, causing him to cover his ears to block out the sound, but already feeling his eardrums pierced and a high pitch squealing echo around him. He unblocked his ears to fire his laspistol at the nearest stationary Chaos Marines, striking him in the left eye and causing an enough annoyance to make him stop firing his bolter.

"Blasted amphibian!" that Marine growled through his vox-vocaliser, "Time to die!"

A Noise Marine's targeter locked on the fleeing amphibian and pulled the trigger of his sound blaster, firing a arc of piercing wailing at him, which swept past his ears. Immediately the ringing in his ear grew loud enough he swore it literally rattled his brain, and blood begun to seep from his ears. Shrieking in agony, he dove through a window into a storeroom of another building.

Slippy immediately clutched his chest and vomited.

"Oh…God…" he moaned.

"RAARGHHHH!"

Slippy looked up, seeing a small group of female cultists kick open the door into the store room charge at him from one of the backroom in the building. Blades unsheathed, bras unhooked and lust on their faces, Slippy swallowed what was left of the vomit about to be expunged and fired his laspistol, hitting one in the shoulder and knocking her down.

The others lunged at him, one cultist swept-kicked him off his feet, dropping his laspistol and his knife. The cultists stared lustfully down at him.

Panicked, Slippy swallowed loudly, "D…don't kill me, alright?"

The lead cultist smirked as she squatted and skimmed her blade down his chest slowly, "Don't worry, we'll get as much use of you before we decide to kill you. By them, you won't have the stamina left to stop us."

The frog's eyes widened as he struggled to get up, knowing full well what they meant, "No!"

A piercing wailing sound unlike the minions of Slaanesh caused the cultists to block their ears in pain, then suddenly they all screamed as they were cut down by the Eldar Howling Banshees that had appeared outside the store room and saved Slippy from their grasp. He wiped the blood of his face to see the banshees standing outside the room, one of them pulling her blade out of the back of a cultist.

He eyebrows queered confusingly, "Simulation Bots series #1?"

The Eldar suddenly stepped out of view away from the storeroom, then blades connecting and parrying could be heard before more screaming and crying in pain. Slippy got up, grabbed his weapons…

"Hey! Wait for me!"

…and stepped out the room and onto a blood-splattered hallway decorated with the bodies of cultists and Cornerian soldiers wearing pink bandanna's and had the mark of Slaanesh on their combat vests., some of which were missing parts of their body. Up ahead Slippy saw a Banshee stick a cultist up against the wall with her power sword, his frightened eyes staring into her masked red ones, before she pulled out and disappeared out of sight, leaving his body to drop to the floor.

Slippy begun taking off after the Banshees, passing by the dead or dying Slaanesh loyalists. He kicked the door leading into the building's kitchen, seeing dead and mutilated Cornerian soldiers, their weapons missing and each missing an ear, and saw that the door leading out the back of the building was open. Stepping over the bodies he walked out the door.

And immediately had a dozen lasguns trained on him. Slippy freaked out and put his hands up, closing his eyes tightly.

"Don't shoot me!" he repeated over and over, visibly shaking in his place.

"Oi, it's that dumb frog from the space station," a familiar cockney accent said, "And he looks like he went through a machine."

Slippy opened his left eye and was surprised to find members of the same Imperial boarding party back on the Beltino station standing before him. There was the bearded sergeant Armiel with some olive-skinned officer with a ear-device attached to the side of his head with the name Zakhaev tagged on his armor. And there was Private Schultz at the background, eyes widened in surprise.

"So it is," Armiel responded as he lowered his laspistol, "By the looks of your less-then-pleasant face you're the xeno that crashed that Arwing not far from here?"

Slippy nodded his head and smiled, hands still raised, "Yeah, I am."

"Do we shoot him, sir?" Armiel asked the officer, "He may be contaminated by the Ruinous Powers?"

The blood left his face with fright, momentarily stopping his facial wounds from bleeding. Zakhaev stared at him, looking pensive, before shaking his head much to Slippy's relief.

"No," the lieutenant said, "We don't want the traitor Grey Knight on our backs if we kill one of his pawns. Stand down."

He waved his hand downwards the lasguns were all lowered and Slippy toppled forward with physical and mental exhaustion. He held himself up with one hand as he felt his forehead with the other, seeing that his wounds hadn't clotted yet and was still bleeding.

Taking his officer cap off Zakhaev stepped over and got on one knee, and prodded Slippy on the back with his boltpistol, "Tell me if you're of any use to us or we'll leave you here to bleed."

Slippy frowned and replied, "I'm an engineer."

The officer smiled, "That can be useful. Medicae?"

A Guardsman carrying medical supplies on his back with the Red Cross stamped on his helmet stepped forward, "Sir?"

"Tend to the injuries of this amphibian engineer and stitch him up. We're taking him with us. Give me the vox, we're contacting command and telling them we made it after all."

Slippy sat up and gulped again, "_Stitch_ me up?

As Zakhaev walked away Armiel smirked and raised his laspistol to the side of his face, looking down at the amphibian, "Sorry, we don't have any of the fancy healy-dealies you furs have."

Slippy shrugged his lowered his head, "Suppose not."

--

Jacques grunted when he felt a las-blast strike him in the shoulder and he spun around to literally disarm the attacking cultist with the laspistol, hacking off his left arm with Eden, then drove Nemesis through his chest and pried the blade out and shoulder charged another cultist. Suddenly the sound of additional bolter fire above the Ultramarines own bolters could heard, one of the bolts passing over his head.

"Emperor's Children!" Jacques bellowed out loud, "They come!"

Fox and the Predator Annihilators held their ground when immediately Chaos Marines charged from the cover behind the buildings of admin, bolters and sound blaster blazing. A squad of Havocs followed close behind, carrying three missile launchers, two heavy bolters and one lascannon between them. The missile launchers targeted Fox and fired, prompting him to engage his hover thrusters and roll sideways out of harms way.

He fired a plasma blast and immediately sent the Havoc flying, but they quickly recovered and fired again. The heavy bolter Havocs begun firing upon the Cornerian soldiers, forcing those that were not torn to pieces instantly to take cover. O'Reilly punched the shoulder of a rocket launcher carrying Cornerian and yelled in his face.

"FIRE THE GODDAMN ROCKET, BOY!"

The Cornerian fired his rocket launcher towards the Havocs, detonating on impact and immediately sent on falling backwards, dead. The others, still alive but their armor badly damage and some of their exposed flesh seared. The Predator Annihilators fired their lascannons at the Havoc, blasting them again and killing two more. The Havocs took the hint and retreated.

All this time the Ultramarines did battle with the Emperor's Sons' Marine that charged. Jacques swerved his head to avoid a bolter round and charged, driving Nemesis through the chest of the attacking Marine, then receiving a chainsword slash to the back and causing him to drop Eden through the muscle spasm. He gritted his teeth and shoulder charged the Chaos Raptor, then punching him across the face, then thrusting Nemesis through his crotch.

He then kicked the Traitor Marine down, recovered Eden and drove it through his head. Another Chaos Raptor descended and swung his chainsword, Jacques managing to block in time. Suddenly Tigerius struck the Raptor with chained lightning, then the Chief Librarian ran to the Grey Knights aid, where he swung his power staff and shattered his soul with psychic power.

"Chief Librarian!" Jacques was surprised, "The Lord Macragge?"

Tigerius frowned and pointed upwards at the sky and the dogfighting between the Chaos and Imperial fighter squadrons, as well as Falco and Katt in the Arwings. Suddenly they saw noticed an Imperial Lightning fighter explode in midair and the flaming wreckage immediately crashed downwards towards them, forcing them to dive out of the way.

"The Lord Macragge can suffice for himself for the moment," Tigerius said, "Can you sense the daemonic taint is increasing by each passing minute. It is a miracle that the 412th has not been turned by the foul whispers of Slaanesh himself."

Jacques picked himself up and nodded, "I sense it. And from what I have seen when I close my eyes, it is enough to nearly make them bleed. What of the Cadian 412th?"

Tigerius spoke casually as they charged back into the gray, "They are advancing into this metropolitan like base little by little. The Armored Fist squads are taking the roads while the ordinary platoon are advancing through the corridors, train-cars, buildings and barracks. They are encountering stiff resistance."

_Where is Commander Farsight and his crisis suit squadron? _Calgar demanded over the vox, "Sturnn?"

_The damn xenos disappeared right after they secured the landing zones for us!_ Sturnn growled, _Blueskin…don't you think of betraying us right now!_

_Kindly calm down, General Sturnn, Lord Calgar, _O'Shovah iterated in response, _We are regrouping for another assault. We will engage in five min…_

_THREE minutes!_ Sturnn interrupted, _We need every bit of Imperial and xeno hand to battlestation! The Emperor's Children have given up on their withdrawal, and they are not letting us destroy them quick enough in time for the enemy reinforcements to arrive._

Fox accelerated forward with the Predators as the Space Marines and Cornerians advanced. He asked, "Have 2nd Battalion landed yet?"

_They will shortly, McCloud, _Sturnn answered him, _They will engage the approaching enemy reinforcments…_

"…as they move to bolster our inevitable defenses here," Fox continued for him, "The plan's crystal to me. Let's just stay alive until then. Falco, Katt?"

Right here.

"You might want to consider watching out for us up there. I get the feeling those claws are gonna be gunning for us soon enough."

_If we happen to shoot thme down…ah…if they get in our crosshairs, _Katt said, sounding strained as she fought, _If they get far enough for us not to follow them out or risk of getting our backs blown off…ow…then you're problem._

Fox sighed, "Figures. Krystal?"

Don't worry, Fox.

Krystal flew in low and swept over the tanks and the Space Marines in reassurance.

I'm not going anywhere. An Imperial APC convoy is nearing our position just on the over side of these structures. They're getting hit hard from the windows and could use some support.

The vulpine sighed louder, exasperated, "Just be careful, alright."

Krystal smiled, feeling happy that he trusted her enough to look after herself. She left the Space Marine/Cornerian forward advance area and towards another part of the base, where her radio com had picked up the distress of the Armoured Fist column. Suddenly two Claws were on her tail and she frowned, hoping that Falco, Katt and the Imperial fighter squadrons had kept them all occupied.

'I guess I can complain,' the vixen thought, 'Where are they coming from?'

--

"TAKE COVER!"

As gunfire erupted from the windows, the Guardsmen took cover behind the armored column, firing up at the windows where they could visibly see either cultist or Chaos Marine blazing away down at them. The officer in charge grimaced and adjusted his cap as he put his back against the Chimera APC, boltpistol in hand and his chainsword in the other. He leaned out of cover for a moment to fire up at one of the windows.

"I shouldn't be surprised!" he exclaimed, "This whole base is like a small city! And a death trap!"

"SIR!" the sergeant nearby cried as he fired his laspistol up at them, "What do we do now?"

The officer looked up at the sky to see the raging air battle above as Chaos Claw and Imperial Lightning fighters dueled for airborne supremacy, faintly making out the Arwing above. He tapped his earpiece vox and yelled into the receiver.

"To any friendly aircraft, this is Armored Fist #2! We're pinned down right below you need assistance now!"

He looked up at the sky again and sighed when he noticed that solitary Arwing shaking off two pursuing Claws and diving downward towards them.

This is Krystal. Allow me… came the Cerinian's response over the vox caster.

Krystal circled around the office building, and from the southern end could see the Armored Fist column pinned down by the Chaos Marines bolters, cultist snipers and missile launchers. Biting her lip in determination she piloted her Arwing closer so that she was hovering in front of the 11th and 12th floors where the cultists were stationed. Just as they were about to redirect their fire onto the Cerinian, she opened up with her laser cannons and blasted both floors, phasing the cultists out of existence and reducing most of them to ash. One smoking Slaanesh cultist corpse tumbled out of the body and landed half-a-click below onto the ground, which messily shattered into pieces upon impact.

The Imperial officer leading the column ducked out of cover behind the middle Leman Russ and tapped his helmet vox, "Much better, Cerinian. Thanks for the assist. We're heading on out now, over."

_Right,_ Krystal response came back through his vox, the voice somehow strangely soothing this facially scarred veteran junior officer, _Keep an out for McCloud. He's close to your waypoint towards the Chaos headquarters. Over._

"Acknowledged," the officer responded, waving Krystal's Arwing off as she flew away towards another part of the complex. He then addressed his men with his vox, "Forward."

Two Claw Bombers came hurtling towards the column, immediately drawing Krystal's attention. Their support gunners immediately blazed away at the vixen's Arwing, who barrel rolled to avoid their shots. She then swooped in towards them and fired two separate charge shots, which homed in and hit both their right wing tips, causing them to tilt slightly and slow.

Krystal u-turned and slowed down behind them, immediately firing away at the rear of both Bombers, their gunners immediately firing at her. Her shields held long enough for her to down both Bombers, one of them exploding immediately when she struck it's arsenal head on. The other hurtled downwards and crashed into a warehouse, the ensuring explosion scattering pieces of it everywhere and making sure all combatant from both sides in range to duck for cover.

--

Fox noticed saw the explosion just up ahead and around the corner leading towards the Finances sector of Administration as he gritted his teeth and plowed forward in his Landmaster, plasma cannon blazing away at the Chaos machines of war that stood in his way. Two Chaos Predators appeared from behind the corner of a building and rolled into view, prompting Fox to start firing, but only managing to hit their bulldozer-like blades. The two Chaos Predators immediately fired their autocannons at Fox, who immediately sustained two hits. He then who gripped the controls and immediately engaged his tank's thrusters rolled sideways to the left to avoid the another couple of hits, which exploded in a hellstorm behind him.

He then engaged the Landmaster's bottom thrusters and took off into the air, the Predators' cannon aiming upwards at him. He aimed his plasma cannon downwards in return and fired a homing charged shot which rattled one of them and caused massive damage. It was there that the Space Marine Devastator Squad and their Predator Annihilator support made their move. The Ultramarine Predator Annihilators fired their twin-linked lascannon at the damaged Slaanesh Predator and blew it to the pieces.

The other enemy Predator fired at the Ultramarine Predators, immediately causing the Devastator Squad to seek cover behind it. They engaged their targeters and locked on to the enemy tank, with the Battle-Brothers armed with the lascannon and the missile launchers fired away at the enemy Predator, causing more damage and stalling it. It was this time that Fox begun to descend back down to the ground, and he begun firing his plasma cannon at the remaining Predator, and finishing it off with a spectacular explosion, which left a medium-sized crater.

Fox smirked and engaged his com, "I'm glad you guys managed to catch up."

_We never expected you would take off like that, _the sergeant leading the Devastator squad responded with glee, _Even if it was because of your attraction to Mortensen's charge._

The vulpine's smirk faded, '_Mortensen's_ charge?'

Krystal blushed, overhearing the Marine Sergeant's words. Unfortunately her momentary lapse in concentration had her hovering above the office buildings, immediately encouraging the bunkered down cultists to fire up at her, bolter rounds mingling with laser fire. She gasped and gripped her controls as she attempted to steer but…

"Oh NO!"

…the tip of her left wing was blown away and the hull where he G-Diffuser was sustained a critical hit, , fire and smoke immediately bellowing from her engines and causing her to tilt sideways to the left. Fox saw the flaming Arwing in the sky and panicked.

"Krystal!" he exclaimed.

_I've taken damage! _came Krystal's hurried reply, _G-Diffuser had sustained damage. I'm on fire!_

Fox gritted his teeth and exclaimed, "I can see that! You're gonna have to land that thing and bail out!"

_That…is a good, yet obvious idea! _Jacques cried, sounding angry towards Fox, then to Krystal he sounded sincere, _Krys, land as close as you can towards our forces.  
_

_Argh…I'm burning up…going to have to land on a rooftop._

'Shit! Shit! SHIT!' Fox cursed in his head, 'And those fanatics are holed up in nearly every admin block here!'

_Fox…FOX!_ Jacques boomed over the com, hoping he had interrupted Fox from any worrying thoughts, _How far are you from Krystal's position?_

The vulpine gnashed his teeth and accelerated forward, "No need to ask me, Jacques! I'm going to get her right now!"

--

Krystal carefully guided her burning Arwing towards the nearest office or warehouse building with a landing pad installed on top of it, amidst more gunfire from the Chaos Marines and cultists on the ground and the Claw fighters in the air. She found the suitable, flat roof of a office building and directed herself towards it. Unfortunately cultist within the building noticed her descent towards their building and quickly headed for the roof, weapons free.

One of them, a sensual-looking human female cultist in black gear reminiscent of S&M licked her lips with a loud slurp, "Fresh meat. Here's hoping it's a she."

The moment Krystal landed on the roof and jumped out (luckily not sustaining any burn-related injuries), she was engaged by several semi-naked pink painted male Slaanesh cultists who entered the roof through the stairwell door, all oft hem brandishing knives and ornate boltpistols, with the leader armed with a chainsword. Upon seeing her on the landing platform, they all licked their lips sensually as twisted desire kicked in, Krystal reached for her staff and extended it, her blaster secure in her other hand.

"Hey baby," the lead cultist loudly flirted, "That's a big staff you got there. Think you can use that on me?"

If the way vengeance was written all over her face could kill, Krystal would have even brought the Despoiler himself to his knees in an instant, "In what way?"

"C'mon, you Cerinian whore!" the leader smirked, "If you're gonna be that way we'll make do with your corpse!"

Krystal wrinkled her nose vehemently, 'Why do they always call me _that_?'

The leader fired his boltpistol, and Krystal deflected the rocket-propelled slug with her staff as she charged, which it immediately blasted away part of the landing pad. The cultist leader then gripped his chainsword and swung it as Krystal's head, who quickly ducked and thrust her staff forward, impaling the leader. The leader gasped in pain, before he smiled as if he was experiencing something wonderful, as if it were an orgasm.

"Ohhhh…yeah…" the leader groaned pleasurably.

Disgusted, Krystal pulled her staff out and fired her blaster into his face, blowing half his skull away. She then turned her attentions towards the other cultists who charged her at once. She immediately swatted one across the face and downed him instantly. Another cultist lunged forwards and slashed her across the left shoulder, cutting through her jacket and drawing blood; she gnarled in pain and drove the blunt part of her staff into his face, knocking him backwards into another cultist.

She swung her staff at the next cultist and knocked the gun out of his hand, sending it flying off the roof and towards the ground below. She then slashed him downward from his face to his chest, killing him instantly. Of the cultist she knocked down earlier, she fired her blaster at his head and killed him. The other cultist who had been knocked down as well got up and lunged at her. His blade clashed with her staff, where Krystal expertly parried and slashed him across the throat.

He stumbled backwards clutching his slit throat with blood pouring out in torrents. He then glared at the stunned vixen and lunged at her, wrapping his bloodied hand around her throat to try and strangle her, throwing her down on the ground and dropping her staff and blaster. She gasped out loud as she tried to reach for her blaster, which was the closest weapon to her.

Feeling her vision beginning to fade, she drove her clawed finger into his eye sockets and pierced his pinkish orbs. He tried to scream in pain despite the slash in his throat, and before Krystal knew he expired and rolled off her, his blood having all ran out. Krystal gasped painfully and took large breathes as she hurried to fill her lungs with precious air.

After the light-headedness went away she recovered her weapons and rubbed her sore throat.

'By Cerinia, that was close,' she thought.

The Arwing behind her suddenly exploded, throwing her through the door leading off the rooftop and down a flight of stairs. Land roughly on the ground, she was dazed for a few seconds as the sounds of heavy footsteps made their way up the staircase towards her. She willed herself back onto her feet and gripped her with her left hand, her right feeling the back of her head, feeling her migraines flaring up again.

'I sense something truly evil here,' Krystal then thought, 'It's growing with strength every minute. What is it?'

Her thought were interrupted when suddenly a crude throwing axe struck the wall next to her head, the thrower a Slaanesh cultist. He looked up at her from below at the foot of the winding staircase as he pulled out his standard-issue Cornerian blaster. Delivering her own war cry she lunged down at him down the stairs just as he pulled the trigger. Krystal swung her staff to deflect the laser blast then. She then thrust her hand forward and put the point of the staff through his neck, killing him.

She then continued running down the staircase until the door leading into the 6th floor tore open a leathery glove-hand grabbed her by the wrist….

"AHH!"

…and pulled her into the office block and thrown on the floor. The human female cultist in leather smirked and gripped her whip tightly in both her hands.

"Fresh meat," she hissed, "And of the luscious Cerinian stock."

Surrounded by a dozen other cultists in elegant Slaanesh ceremonial dress she didn't waste rolling backward and onto her feet to avoid the nearest sword swing. Picking her staff off the floor she swung it gracefully and blocked over swing before striking the cultist across the face and swatting him away. The other cultists lunged at her and she parried, thrust and struck them all back. She kicked one cultist through a office cubicle, his head smashing through a computer. With another she put the point of her staff through the chest of another and blasting another through the head with her blaster. When they surrouned her again she called upon the elements of nature as she charged her staff for a ground quake, sending them all flying in different direction, two of which through the windows. Suddenly…

"ARGHH!"

…she was struck across the face and muzzle by the female cultist with her whip, causing her to drop her staff and fall to her knees as her vision blurred slightly, her left hand tending to the wound below her eyes which stretched from end of her face to the other. The whip cut deep enough to assure Krystal there would a scar there once if it would ever heal.

A/N: Think **Iruka Umino** from **Naruto**.

She gritted her teeth in pain and looked over at the cultist angrily, "Why?"

The cultist smirked, "To forever mark the Cerinians who lapped after the False Emperor as a damned species, and to avenge our brothers and sisters whom they eradicated back on Dark Cerinia."

What Krystal felt right there and then was completely alien to her, completely unnatural. She herself couldn't describe it, but if anyone else had felt it they would have sensed that it was rage. Rage, anger, livid, whatever it may be called she felt it and what she did next shocked her.

"Dark Cerinia?" Krystal hissed, vaguely remembering her childhood back on Cerinia and what the Chaos-worshipping Dark Cerinians would refer to their share of the planet, "It's just called Cerinia!"

She lunged at the female cultist, taking her by surprise. Krystal felt so angry at hearing her race and planet get insulted that she didn't feel the discomfort in her fists as she brought them towards the female cultist and begun pummeling her face, immediately shattering her nose and her fingernails drawing blood, some of which splattered on her.

"DAMN YOU, DAMN YOU, DAMN YOU!" Krystal screamed in anguish, still feeling agony in her face from the wound.

--

Jacques felt every muscle in his frame stiffen when he sensed anguish and rage come from Krystal within the office building he and his Battle-Brothers were fighting their way towards. He closed his eyes tightly as he felt shame, but not for her.

'Damn you, Chaos,' he thought irritant, 'You really do mark all of us, do you not?'

As he shuffled forward across the blackened, boomed steel roads and past buildings and structure both intact and bombed out, he noticed Fox's Landmaster parked outside the building with the smoke and flame on it's rooftop. He picked up the pace despite his straining muscles and the weight of his armor. He held both his swords so that the blades pointed backwards away from him, allowing him to move faster.

He saw Fox leaping out the tank and rushing towards the side of the building, presumably towards the back of the building.

'The front entrance was right there,' Jacques ruminated, 'Or if he is thinking one step ahead.'

--

A few moments later she relented her furious onslaught when she regained 'control' of herself, and was immediately horrified at what she did. Mouth agape and tears pooling in her eyes she stood up and backed away from the facially mutilated, barely breathing brain-damaged female cultist. Krystal looked at her bloodied hands, shocked to see that it was her that did this to her enemy.

'That…that was me?' she asked herself mentally, before clenching her hands into fists and reached down for her staff, 'I did that? I killed her with my bare hands…through my rage. She insulted the memory of Cerinia and I got angry. No…'

She extended her weapon and immediately put it through the cultist's chest and heart, promptly ending her life and somewhat deserved suffering. Krystal then moved her right hand across her face, gently feeling the wound underneath her eyes and hoping that it really wouldn't scar, or that if it did they would be able to remove it.

_Krystal,_ she heard in her mind.

"Jacques?"

What had befallen you? Are you all right?

Krystal tapped her forehead, "I'm fine, it's just a scratch. How far are you and Fox?"

He is right outside the building. Go to him and get to safety. As far from here as possible.

Krystal frowned as she took off once again down the staircase. She snapped, "I'm not going anywhere, Jacques! You can't ask me to abandon this fight and leave you here..."

_I did not suggest you retreat, _Jacques interrupted sharply, _This is your fight as well as mine, and every member of Order is concerned. I only suggested you recuperate then plunge right back in, right beside me and Fox._

Krystal was stunned, having believed he was asking her to sit the rest of the fight out, but instead to just recover herself and to continue fighting. If Fox could hear them, he wouldn't have been happy. She reached the ground floor and tore out the back door through the supply room, instantly confronted by…

"CHAOS CONSUME ME! SLAANESH PLEASURE ME"

…a wretched human/daemon hybrid encased in badly-damaged Astartes power armour. Half it's head was that of a daemonette, as in one half of his face was male and the other half a female. It's twisted daemonic arms and legs ended in talons and the sight made Krystal sick in the pit of her stomach. For a brief moment she felt sympathy for the Slaaneshi Possessed Marine, but when it lunged for her she realized that he had brought it upon herself.

"VIOLATE! DESECRATE! DEFILE!" Krystal gasped when the Possessed Marine directed those words to her as it attacked her, "EMBODIMENT OF FLESHLY DESIRE!"

Krystal ducked under it's claws as they scraped across the wall, tearing pieces of steel. She attacked with her staff, swinging it against the Possessed, who caught it with it's right claw, then reared up it's left claw for a strike. Krystal quickly focused the warp to enact a psychic shield around her which deflected it's attacked, but the sheer physical force sent her falling back.

The Possessed's two-faces smirked and tossed the staff aside as it converged on the fallen vixen, before it felt a blaster shot against the back of it's head, tearing some of the daemonic flesh off. It spun around to see Fox running towards it, blaster blazing away as he held his combat knife in his right hand. It squealed and charged at him, swinging both it's elongating claws. The vulpine dodged both strikes and charged, switching knife hand from right to left, dropping his blaster, and driving it through the daemon's forehead…

…then pulled it out and drove it back in through a different angle, up the jaw and into the brain. He then pulled it out and drove it again into his skull from the side. All the while the Possessed writhed and contorted and gurgled as the vulpine's movements were too fast to comprehend. With that final attack through his skull it toppled over and died.

Fox pulled the knife out and approached Krystal, immediately horrified at seeing the slash across her face. She downcast her eyes as if in shame. He walked over to her and took her face in his hands.

"Are you all right, Krys?" Fox asked, eyes soft with emotion.

Krystal nodded and embraced him, head resting on his chest and closing her eyes as she let Fox's erratic heartbeat calm her. She lamented softly "They always say they're going to do terrible things to me."

Fox glared, her words as fuel for the metaphorical fire he wished to burn Chaos with, "And they never will, as long you have me."

Krystal opened her eyes, looking surprised, 'What about Jacques?'

--

"Ow…ow…ow…OW! That hurt!"

The medic hissed as he was nearly finished stitching the largest gash on his forehead, "Hold still xeno. I'm nearly done. There, _done_!"

The wounds on his face all stitched up, Slippy took the cloth and wiped the blood from his forehead. He turned the cloth then applied it to his face, and was relieved that the long cuts down his face weren't bleeding as badly as before, indicated by the little amount of blood there was on the other side of the cloth. He shot a glance at the sergeant, sitting against the earth mound, cradling his saber in hand as his laspistol laid as his feet.

"You set, frog?" Armiel asked, "Not gonna leak anymore?"

Slippy tried to sound jovial, "Nope, I'm A-Ok now…"

Armiel interrupted and stated, "Good…cause' if you slow us down I'll shoot you myself."

Zakaev stepped away from the vox-caster Guardsmen and boomed out, "Alright men, good news for once. More Guardsman squads and platoon are breaching enemy lines and advancing through here. Unfortunately they are being slowed by the Cornerian plasma artillery ascertained by the Chaos forces."

He was interrupted by the booming sound of firing cannons cutting into the air, and plasma sailing in the air above the platoon. One plasma explosion later the sound of men screaming and vehicles exploding complimented the lieutenant's words.

Zakhaev cleared his throat, "Yes…well. Now, we've been tasked with the objective in disabling the artillery, hopefully saving thousand of human lives. Any questions?"

Noticing he was hell of a lot smaller than any human here, two inches above their waists Slippy raised his hand awkwardly…

"Excuse me?"

All eyes turned to him, many looking at him with contempt.

"Er…can I have a weapon? Something more powerful than a pistol."

Zakhaev cleared his throat before saying, "Sergeant, give him Tureen's Kantrael pattern."

Armiel tossed Slippy a lasgun covered in blood, which ended up on Slippy's hand and causing him to suck in air with panic. He held the (comparing to his height) bulky weapon in his hand, where Armiel tossed two additional power magazines at his feet, also bloodied.

Having noticed his sickened looks with having human blood on him, the sergeant leered in close to the frog and haughtily whispered, "Don't shoot yourself in the foot, or whatever you call it."

The amphibian gulped softly as the rest of the platoon got up, dusted themselves off and reacquiring their weapons. Slippy saw Armiel approach Private Schultz as he put his helmet back on.

"Private," the sergeant spoke with authority, "You've in charge of the excess baggage. Don't lose him or, God-Emperor forbid, Command will shove a rod up each our asses."

"Yes sir," Vincent said.

The young Guardsmen then approached Slippy, who nodded in acknowledgment at him as the frog looked up at him. Surprising even himself at recognizing it, he could see the fear in the human's eyes at the thought of jumping back into the fray. He wondered sadly how humanity could live with itself sending boys his age with a lasgun and expect to hold his ground against such horror as Chaos. But then again, he may as well have been thinking about Jacques and his later youth as a Scout Marine.

As he stood up before Vincent, he asked him, "Hey Schultz?"

Vincent looked at Slippy with surprise, possibly over being talked to by a xeno, "Yes, xeno?"

Slippy frowned, "That wasn't nice."

Vincent swallowed and recanted, "S...sorry. Yes, Toad?"

He pointed at his face with a small smile, "Honestly, how do I look?"

The Guardsman rolled his eyes slightly as thought of how to respond honestly. He sighed and replied, "Like a feline scratching post."

Slippy's smile faltered and moved a hand over his face, feeling the scratches and the gash that would surely become scars once they healed and the stitches would have to be removed, forcing him to join the same club as Jacques. For a brief second he felt a sense of pride, where if anyone ever questioned he had ever fought a real battle against Chaos, they could take one look at him and too them it the reply would be a definite 'yes.'

"Hey Toad?"

Slippy looked over at the young Guardsman, now surprised at being talked to by a human himself in a soft manner, "Yep."

Vincent looked at the toad thoroughly, "About what happened back on Beltino Station…I…I didn't mean get up at you like that…"

The green frog looked at him oddly for a few seconds, before he broke out into a smile.

"Hey, no problem! We're all on the same sinking boat here!"

He then moved his hand to pat him on the back, causing Vincent to lean back away from him. Slippy stopped, and realized what he had almost done.

"Oh, right," Slippy rubbed the back of his head embarrassed, "You guys don't like being touched by non-humans. Sorry."

Vincent nodded and straightened himself. He then sighed, "Or shot in the head by a Commissar or burnt alive on sight by some priest."

Niel passed by and immediately growled at Vincent, "Quit making small talk with the fucking xeno, kid. We're moving out."

He then smirked eagerly at Vincent, taking a sideward glance at Slippy.

"This may be our lucky day. Martyrdom and glory awaits the brave."

Slippy gulped again, then reasoned like a fatalist, 'Guess this is what I get for hanging around humanity.'

He then frowned and slapped his forehead, holding his lasgun underarm.

'No, can't think like that,' he handled his lasgun in his hands, 'I've got people to watch out for, and even more people to go home to.'

--

Carbines and SMGs blazing, the Tau Pathfinder hobbled across the steel ground as they ran towards the Space Marines and the Cornerians, pursued by Chaos Space Marines who were only slowed down by the Tau plasma, receiving minor injuries. La'Jakob cursed this inwardly, knowing of the Space Marine's superhuman abilities and traits, and that he had watched Krystal get shot down as well.

'She has got have survived,' La'Jakob thought, 'Titania proves that the royal-born can handle herself.'

The Tau Pathfinder retreat was suddenly covered by the Ultramarine Assault squad who descended upon the Slaanesh Marines, chainsword coming down on their head, splitting one immediately in half. Ultramarines Terminators complimented the defense, allowing the Pathfinder to take cover behind a wrecked groundcar.

"Our allies must be getting close to the center of this base," one Pathfinder cried, "The Imperial Guard should be over our enemy like a literal flood."

La'Jakob wiped his forehead, which was coated in his sweat, "I hear you. Now let us find another vantage point so we can cover our allies."

"Right behind you, La'Jakob," La'Tash said, rail-rifle in hand.

--

Moving through the tight corridors between the office supplies depots Slippy fought to keep up with the Guardsmen, with Trooper/Private Schultz right behind him. The sounds of heavy breathing, grunting and equipment shuffling were irritant on Slippy's nearly ruptured eardrums, evident but the constant itching sensations and the deafening sounds of artillery were driving him crazy.

The sounds of Cornerian plasma artillery were growing louder as they advanced and the distress calls also grew louder, which meant they were getting close to their objectives. Soon they found themselves near a clearing controlled by corrupted Cornerian soldiers led by a Aspiring Champion, wearing both pink headbands and extravagant clothing over their vests and armed with Cornerian blaster rifles and lasguns.

Zakhaev raised his fist, signaling them to stop and remain in the corridor between the depots as he raised his magnoculars to his eyes and scouted the area. Machine-gun posts, barbed wire and portable steel cover situated around three large plasma cannons attached to hovering platforms with targeting computers built into the sides.

Looking grim, Zakhaev informed his men, "Twenty corrupt xeno soldiers and one Marine champion."

"You mean Cornerians Defence Troopers?" Slippy called out, eliciting hushes from the men, "Why are there Cornerian soldier fighting for Chaos?"

Armiel shrugged and nonchalantly stated, "Probably had perverted thoughts about their mates and officers when Chaos rolled on in, and that ensnared them indefinitely."

Slippy appeared disturbed, 'Tch…you can't blame people for having thoughts. But who would have thought that _thoughts_ could get you possessed by the closest thing to the devil?'

Zakhaev signaled for Armiel to step up to him. The lieutenant whispered to the sergeant, "You have the explosives?"

"Sir," Armiel responded as he waved his hand at the Guardman carrying a large satchel on his back containing high-explosive bombs, "We've still got enough to level this whole clearing."

Zakhaev nodded, "We'll distract the heretics while you and your squad find a way around."

Slippy's eyes perked up when he thought Zakhaev was about to mention 'blow them up.' He pushed his way through the tight corridor and tapped the officer on the shoulder, who immediately shuddered over contact with a non-human.

"Y'know, we could take those cannons instead of blowing them up," Slippy suggested, voice mild, "I could program in new coordinates and drop plasma on Chaos' head."

Zakhaev rolled his eyes in thought, before he smirked. Armiel gritted his teeth with frustration.

"You are useful after all," Zakhaev turned to Armiel, "Cover the xeno. We'll get ready."

Armiel gave a throaty growl as he signaled his squad to follow him as they disappeared back down the alley to search for an alternative corridor that would lead them around the clearing towards the back of the artillery cannons. They were still firing and sending large wads of plasma into the air, irritating Slippy's ears as he trudged with the Guardsmen, with Vincent still on his tail.

Niel looked over at Armiel, "The lieutenant's kissing xeno ass now?"

"Just only this once, I hope," Armiel responded gruffly, "Remind me to stick that frog in the back with my knife for spreading his 'influence.' It'll be my ticket out of this system and back to Armageddon."

Niel looked over his shoulder at the determined-looking frog, 'Don't be so sure, sarge.'

They quickly and quietly made their way around the artillery emplacements away from the rest of the platoon, not attracting the attention of the tainted Cornerians and the Aspiring Champion. Zakhaev grabbed a frag grenade from one of his Guardsmen and hurled it at the emplacements, the explosion sending two Cornerians flying.

"CHARGE!"

Gunfire was exchanged between the tainted Cornerians and the Guardsmen, with the Slaanesh loyalists dashing behind their cover, while the Cornerian gunnery crews kept at their posts. From the other side of the clearing Armiel noticed their backs turned he grabbed Slippy by the shoulder and shoved him ahead of the squad, scaring him enough to nearly empty his bowels at the thought of marching ahead first towards the enemy.

"You first, heretical techpriest," Armiel whispered harshly, "We're right behind you."

Slippy nodded as he was shoved out of the corridor and into the clearing. The rest of the squad followed with their heads down as they stealthily approached the engaged tainted Cornerian and and Slaanesh Aspiring Champion. Unfortunately the Champion's Slaaneshi enhanced hearing could hear their footsteps and heartbeats, spinning around a firing his boltpistol towards Armiel and Slippy. The frog squealed and ducked, the bolt taking Armiel's left arm off.

"ARGH!" the sergeant screamed, "FUCKIN' HELL!"

The Aspiring Champion and the tainted Cornerians were now defending from both sides, with the now-down Armiel's squad and the rest of the platoon converging on both sides. The Aspiring Champion smirked as he stepped over toward the artillery cannons and stood his ground, firing his boltpistol at Slippy, who dove behind one of the portable covers.

"Foolish kemono!" the Aspiring Champion boomed out, "These xeno guns will bring us victory over you and your damned Imperial allies."

As he fired and chipped away at the cover with his boltpistol a faint light was shining on him from one of the windows of the warehouses overlooking the clearing. It begun to grow in intensity starting from a minor annoyance until he looked at the window and thought he saw a Eldar Seer before a blinding light struck him right between the eyes and his vision was impaired.

"AH!" he cried, closing he eyes as he felt them get seared by the blinding light.

Unexpectedly he was not firing blindly, but now relying on his sense of hearing to pick his shots. Now firing away from Slippy, the frog dove from cover and shakily aimed his lasgun and the nearest tainted Cornerian. He in turned raised his blaster rifle and fell forward onto the ground when Slippy fired and took his leg off.

Slippy dove behind the nearest artillery cannon for cover, immediately attacked by the gunner who was blown back as a sniper shot from an unknown source hit him square in the chest. Slippy spun around to catch a glimpse of whoever it was that saved him, but saw nothing save for the windows from one of the warehouses and nothing standing behind it.

"Simulation Bots Series 1," Slippy said to himself, "They're really real."

A roar of might interrupted the frog's thoughts, the Aspiring Champion appeared around the corner with his chainsword whirring in his hand and his eyes cauterized, rendering him blind. Slippy was fit to puke at the sight and turned to run but tripped over and landed on his stomach. He spun around to see the Champion converge on him, smiling evilly at him.

"I can hear your fear, frog!" the Chaos Marine exclaimed, "I may be blind, but I hear you…and will kill you."

The Aspiring Champion was hit on all sides by lasguns as the platoon moved in over the corpses of the tainted Cornerians. Lieutenant Zakhaev raised his boltpistol at the stricken Marine as his armor melted away with so many lasers firing at him. He aimed at his chest and fired, piercing through his melted armor and out the other end. He turned to a Guardsmen armed with a melta-gun, who fired the deadly 'cooker' and blew a massive hole in the Aspiring Champion's chest.

"And down he goes," Armiel groaned as he limped up to the officer and saluted with his remaining right arm, blood still leaking from the wound, "We've captured the weapons, sir."

Momentarily stunned at the sergeant minus his left arm, Zakaev returned the salute, "In the name of the God-Emperor go see the medicae. Xeno…?"

Slippy picked himself up and dusted himself off, "Yeah?"

"You know how to reconfigure these xeno-weapons?" Zakhaev stated, then ordered, "Then got to it."

Slippy frowned, 'What's the magic word? Honestly…'

--

Sitting up against the wall in the alley and covered by Cornerian troopers Krystal hissed quietly with discomfort as the Cornerian medic applied disinfectant on a swab to her facial wound, feeling a slight 'ssssss' sound as the substance eradicated whatever germs were in her wound. She was still feeling a slight sting from her bandaged left arm from the blood sample taken by another medic and which was currently being analyzed in his medical PDA.

The medic said as he read his PDA, "Scans check out. No abnormalities in your bloodstream or immune system, apart from the gash above your muzzle which unfortunately may become a scar, but we can treat that later."

"Thank you," Krystal acknowledge him, "That is a relief."

Fox stood nearby and watched her being treated, appeared angered at the sight of her and her wound, which the medics had declared that it was cut deep enough to leave a scar once it healed. Fox had restrained himself from punching the medic out and would have gone and asked the Space Marine Apothecary for help, but remembering that medical apparatus' designed for Space Marine would kill normal humans, and non-humans for that manner.

Fox, pick up the com if you'll still alive.

"Yeah, what d'ya want Falco?" Fox answered gruffly.

Oh, nothing…except we're getting pounded up here. My left wing's hanging by a thread and my human wingman next to me just had his canopy blown off.

"Can you hold out for a little while longer?"

If the good Lord Admiral will send another wing or two down here we'll manage.

"Maybe if you apologize about what you said?"

Well screw everything I said then. We're fine, just fine…please just keep going and blow these assholes away…AW SHIT, HEAD'S UP…!

"INCOMING!"

Fragment of a destroyed Chaos Claw descended towards Fox's position. He, Krystal, the medical personnel and the soldiers ducked out the alley as the Claw crashed in the alley, scattering dirt and pieces of scrap metal everywhere. Fox coughed out loud, before scrambling over to Krystal and helped her up.

"You alright?" Fox asked, grasping her gently by the shoulders.

Krystal nodded, "I'm fine. Where's Jacques and the other Marrines?"

"Right here."

They saw Jacques accompanied by Calgar, Cassius and Tigerius approach them. Jacques eyes nearly bulged out in shock and his mouth was agape when he saw Krystal and the gash on her face; he resisted going over to her and to trace a finger comfortingly over it as Fox was there beside her and that was his privilege. Krystal noticed his concern and gave a reassuring smile.

'It is all right,' Krystal said to him mentally, 'I will survive.

Fox gasped lightly and asked, "Any news on Slippy?"

"He is intact, McCloud," Tigerius answered, much to Fox, Krystal and Jacques' relief, "He is with the Cadian 412th who has just secured the Chaos artillery support."

And with that gripped their weapons just as a band of charging cultists approached them yards away, before plasma bursts from the air landed on them and vaporized them, leaving nothing save for their ashes. Fox smiled.

"I'm guess they haven't killed him."

Cassius frowned, "The Cadian 412th? Of course not, so long as our Coalition stands. Speaking of which, it is driving the remainder of the Emperor's Children to the center of the base, with the 412th in pursuit. All companies are using both the alleys and the roads and are meeting both stiff and minimal resistance depending on their routes and the General's Command Squad is moving ahead of the pack."

They all felt the ground rumble, with bits of shrapnel and metal tapping about on the ground. Fox raised his eyebrows and his eyes scanned the ground.

"I take it that can't be an earthquake?" Fox chided.

"No," Jacques answered, smiling, "The Imperial War Machine just yards ahead."

Calgar pounded his gauntlets together as the Space Marines regrouped in formation, "Onward, Brothers. Let us join the battle."

--

"WE FIGHT IN HIS NAME!" the Chaos Marines chanted as they charged, weapons blazing.

"_WE_ FIGHT IN HIS NAME, HERETICS!" one of the Priests ahead of the Imperial Guards wailed as he charged, eviscerator whirring in his hands, before dodging a plasma gun shot and drove his two-handed chainblade into the Chaos Marine sergeant.

The thousands strong Cadian 412th continued forward through the base, lasguns and assorted special weapons firing wildly at the Chaos Space Marines holding their ground and were still inflicting heavy casualties on their loyalist cousins, laughing with the pleasure that comes from the kill. Artillery fire was still being exchanged, though the Basilisks situated in the trainyards were supplemented by the Cornerian plasma artillery captured by Slippy and Armiel's platoon.

Sturnn kept his head down and swerving left and right as he went melee against a trio of cultists. He sliced through one cultist, where Plymouth rushed to assist him, hacking down the remaining two with skillful slashes of his saber.

"You still here?" Sturnn demanded, "Shouldn't you be empowering the men to move forward?"

"Since you are no longer occupied, that is your priority!" Plymouth exclaimed, holding his saber with one hand.

"Of course," Sturnn replied, "Accompany me?"

"Of course, General!"

The Cornerian artillery batteries were set upon by more tainted Cornerian soldiers, with Slippy and the Guardsmen platoon establishing a perimeter, manning the plasma machine-gun posts in holding them back. With his PDA and multi-tool linked up to the artillery he continued feeding them targets to fire upon while taking cover and squatting between two of the cannons.

'Good thing Chaos didn't take out the targeting satellites in orbit around MacBeth,' Slippy figured mentally, 'Otherwise they wouldn't have inflicted that many casualties on us.'

"HOLD THE LINE, MEN OF CADIA!" Zakhaev cried, firing his boltpistol and killing another traitor Cornerian, "Kill the xeno! Kill the tainted xeno! Kill them all!"

Sparred on by his zealous words the platoon fought harder, their cheer sparking Slippy to keep on redirecting the artillery fire, his ears now bleeding profusely from the deafening sounds of the guns.

'God, I'm gonna be deaf by the time we're through,' he thought miserably, 'And implants for both ears fetch around ten-thousand tops.'

The slight sound of whistling cut through the air as Imperial-grade mortars begun descending on the artillery positions, forcing the men against their barricades and Slippy to put his head between his knees, whimpering slightly, but mostly from the pain in his cochlea.

'It hurts,' he thought.

Armiel growled as he mortars landed on top of him and the platoon for a half a minute, tearing five Guardsmen apart. Once the dust cleared the sound of men screaming battle cries was heard as about three platoons worth of tainted Cornerians charged into the clearing from all sides, Cornerian and Imperial-grade weaponry blazing in their hands.

"Damn it!" Armiel cried, then shouted to the lieutenant, "We're done for!"

A payload of missile from the air struck all around the fixed artillery positions, sending tainted Cornerians flying. Slippy looked up and was relieved at the sight of the Tau Crisis Suits led by O'Shovah arriving in time to assist him and Imperials. O'Shovah extended his Dawn Blade and immediately hacked apart five tainted Cornerians while the rest of the suits locked themselves in both melee and range combat with the cultists. O'Shovah then turned to Zakhaev.

"Humans," his translator unit chimed, "A massive cultist presence is converging on this position. We are here to relieve you. We will continue the plasma artillery fire from here."

"Good," the lieutenant responded, standing up straight and adjusting his hat, "We're just about tired guarding these xeno weapons. Much offence intended."

He then ordered his men, "Pack it up, men of Cadia. You too, Toad."

"What?" Slippy cried, finger in his ears as he tried to scrape the blood from his ear, 'Shit, I've gone deaf.'

"I SAID WE'RE LEAVING!" Zakhaev bellowed, "Sergeant, we're linking up with the Command Squad. Put the frog back on a leash."

As expected, Armiel grumbled, "Yes sir. Schutlz?"

"Yes sir?" the young Guardsman adjusted the strap on his helmet.

"You just drew the figurative short straw again."

--

Once the center of the administration district was a clean, pleasant place to take a walk through when not dealing with paperwork over transport of goods throughout the surface of the planet and the other worlds of the Lylat System. With gardens, trees of many varieties imported from the many worlds of the Lylat and fountains, it was a pleasant change from the grayness of the planet's surface outside the base.

Now it was a blood-soaked, debauched closest rendition of the Battle of Kew that could possibly exist thousands of years after that decisive battle. Human, Cornerian and tainted laid strewn about as the battle raged and heavy firepower was exchanged. Leman Russ' followed by the Baneblade in turned followed by thousands strong Imperial Guardsmen fired at the lined contingent of Chaos Predator tanks and Defilers lumbering forward, cannons alive. The Baneblade received the majority of the Chaos shots but proved to be extreme durable and one massive cannon shot later hundreds of Chaos cultists were sent flying. Defilers attacked two of the Leman Russ' and tore them apart, their crews ripped to shreds.

Sturnn gnashed his teeth as he lowered his magnoculars, seeing those tank crews die. He loaded another clip into his storm bolter and ordered…

"CHARGE!"

…with the Imperial war machine continuing forward. The Chaos enemy moved to engage once again, Chosen Terminators and Marines leading the way, with chanting, snarling cultists struggling to get past them and hurl themselves fanatically on their enemy. The Guardsmen and the Sentinels marched and hobbled respectively ahead of the tanks, their autocannons and bolters chipping away at the enemy.

Sturnn, Plymouth, his Commissariat escorts and the Command Squad kept as close to the frontlines as possible, drawing most of the enemy infantry's fire onto themselves. Another squad of human cultists lunged at them with blades, but were all gunned down by the Commissariat cadets. One of the cadets received a bolter round to the head as a Chaos Marine sergeant attacked them, chainsword whirring. He swung at the general, who dodged and the blade was intercepted by Plymouth's saber, which the whirring teeth begun to chip away at. Appearing not amused, Plymouth aimed his laspistol and fired several time into the sergeant's vibrant, blonde-haired Slaanesh blessed face, causing him to wince and lessen his hold on the chainblade.

The priest accompanying the Command Squad charged with his eviscerator and messily gutted the Chaos sergeant…

"EMPEROR HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOUL, HERETIC!

…smiling maniacally with malice for the enemy.

Plymouth held his hat down on his head as the winds from a nearby explosion wracked past him. He cried, "The foul legions still stand against us, yet we outnumber them."

"It's not always numbers that win the battle!" Sturnn cried, "And _they_ know that."

Guardsmen continued to get chown up by Chaos artillery, much to the detriment of Fox in his Landmaster as he and the Space Marines entered the administration center, with the Predator Annihilators at his sides. He shook his head as he saw the battle unfold ahead of him half-a-click away, infantry and vehicles blasting at one another.

"They're just marching into hell's maw just like that!" Fox exclaimed angrily, "Throwing away their lives."

_They are soldiers of the Emperor, McCloud, _Calgar said over the line, _They would gladly lay their lives down in His Name. But now we must intervene to prevent more lives taken before their time._

"No need to tell me twice," Fox said, "I'm going ahead. You better be behind me."

The Landmaster and Predator Anhillators rolled forward with the Space Marines following behind, walking calmly with Cassius chanting High Gothic incomprehensible to Fox. Jacques and Krystal followed close behind, side-by-side. Krystal looked up at Jacques and narrowed his eyes, making him move his pupils towards her.

"I would be comfortable if you stayed close to me, Jacques," Krystal said, "Things will be rough once again."

Jacques nodded and smiled, "Always."

Krystal smiled back, 'I'm protecting you, Jacques.'

Their heads shot forward when the Ultramarines' bolters went off as did the lascannons and heavy weapons, striking the enemy from another angle as opposed to the Imperial Guard. They both gripped their weapons and charged back into the fray.

"We must be on our toes," Tigerius called out as he charged his psychic powers, "The cultists described by the Scouts were summoning in the center of the base."

The Landmasters blazed away with it's plasma cannon, blasting away cultists and Traitor Marines alike. A squad of Noise Marines fired their blasters at him and immediately scrambled his system, causing his tank to freeze up and his ears to bleed slightly from the sound coming through the hull. He gasped in pain, then noticing one of the Marines were armed with an even larger sound based weapon.

The Nose Marine armed with the Doomblaster fired a massive blast of sound which caught the attention of Krystal and Jacques, seeing half of the Landmaster get torn away.

"FOX!" they both shouted, then ran towards the tank.

Fox groaned as he was temporary deafened from the attack. He felt the cool MacBeth air breeze over him and the left side of the Landmaster still intact. He unbuckled himself from his harness and dropped out of the tank, immediately vomiting as his vision went all over the place as his ears were damaged. He pulled his blaster, seeing the Chaos Marine and cultist approach, receiving oncoming fire from the Ultramarines. One Emperor's Children Marine aimed his bolter and him, before a white blur appeared between the vulpine and the Chaos Marine, immediately hacking the traitor down before lunging for the other Marines, immediately supplemented by the Space Marine Assault squad.

He felt himself pulled up to his feet by familiar arms and his hearing was restored enough for him to hear Krystal say to him…

"…get up…Fox, please…"

"Krystal?"

The ringing in his ears disappeared he found himself staring face to face with the love of his life, whom was covered in fresh enemy blood, over her body and scarred face. She saw a cultist lunging for them and shoved Krystal aside and fired his blaster, scoring a headshot. He then helped Krystal up…

"Sorry, Krys…"

where the vixen looked at him questioningly.

"Are you alright, Fox?" Krystal asked as they sought cover behind the destroyed Arwing.

"I think I'm concussed. But I'm not walking away, at least not yet."

Storm bolters cut through the conversation as Calgar and his Honor Guard strode past.

"I am glad to hear that," Calgar called out to him, "Landmaster or not, you are still part of this fight! Not one step backward for anybody now."

--

The air battle still raged above the warzone in the complex center, with Falco and Katt fighting to keep their eyes open and battle mental fatigue as they fought against a seemingly never-ending wave of Chaos Claw fighters right beside the Imperial Lightning squadrons. Meanwhile the Marauder Bombers had cleared the skies and retreated to a safe airspace away from the fight.

"I…I don't think I can keep this up, Falco," Katt said as she steered her Arwing to avoid a pursuing Claw.

_Eyes forward, _came Falco's response, _Hey…_

_The enemy aircraft! _a human voice starting out in Gothic but was quickly translated to Lylatian Basic Language exclaimed, _I think they're pulling back._

The Claws all performed simultaneous u-turns and begun to flee the Lightnings and disappear back into the atmosphere. The Lightning all begun to follow until…

This is the Sanguinus Pacificus, Lord Admiral Nero speaking, all fighter squadrons stand down. Report back to rearm and refuel.

'Sanguinus Pacificus?' Katt thought, 'He must mean the Pacifier. I knew they named all their ships with really over all the top titles. The Pacifier must have been a nickname or something'

A/N: I realize how they name Imperial ships with such extravagant titles.

Hey, didn't think you'd talk to me ever agai, Katt smirked at Falco addressing the Admiral. Figured I hurt your feelings.

Hold you tongue, falcon, Nero growled, Lest you have it cut out of your beak once this battle is over.

How about some orbital strikes, eh? Level the playing field, especially with those reinforcements heading straight for us.

This planet is as hollow as they come. One lance strike into the planet's crust and you, your friends and the Emperor's soldiers will be drawn into oblivion. Allow 2nd Battalion to engage them…

"And your bombers?" Katt asked, "A great deal of help they were."

I suggest you and the avian start talking respectively to the superiors, feline, Sturnn can be heard gruffly, We outnumber you and your lives are in our hands.

"And we should be afraid?" Katt chimed.

--

'Vindictive furs!' Sturnn thought annoyed as he gripped the vox speaker in his hands, the vox-Guardsman firing his lasgun as he crouched to allow the general to speak, 'You can't talk for a whole minute with these xenos without arguing with them. Are they so laid back in the face of destruction?'

He then smiled in spite of himself.

'And they don't fear anything as a result!'

"RAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!"

An Aspiring Champion shoved his way through the masses of Chaos loyalists that stood before the Imperial Guards and hurled himself towards the Command Squad. Sturnn dropped the vox-speaker and braced himself, seeing the champion get struck with a dozen las-blasts and he fell. He turned behind himself to see Zakhaev approaching him, boltpistol smoking.

"General Sturnn," Zakhaev saluted, "Are we too late?"

Squatting behind a Chimera APC Sturnn shook his head, "Hardly. Come closer, I can hardly hear your over this battle…"

He stopped talking when he noticed a stitched-up Slippy amongst Zakhaev's platton. He furrowed his brow at the sight of the frog, whose eyes widened at the sight of him and gave a really awkward wave.

"Er…hi?"

"Star Fox's engineer is here?" Plymouth asked, "That must have been the Arwing we saw drop from the sky?"

"And we're stuck with him," Zakhaev nodded, "But at least he's proven he's useful."

Sturnn studied the frog, seeing him hold the lasgun awkwardly in his hands. He never thought the frog for the type to drop his wrench and pick up a weapon to fire back at the enemy to threatened not only his life but that of his people. To the general these sorts of people were cowards, that kemono's dealing with engineering were all cowards.

'Now I'm feeling pleasantly surprised,' Sturnn thought.

--

And so the battle raged on between the massive armies of the Imperial/Cornerian/Tau Coalition and the Chaos God of Pleasure Slaanesh's loyalists – various cult groups, traitor Cornerian soldiers and the Emperor's Children 12th Company. The air battle was slowly dissipating with the Chaos Claws either withdrawing mysteriously or being shot out of the sky. Fox, Krystal and Jacques fought back-to-back against the enemy, Fox firing his blaster wildly and fighting back any cultist or traitor Cornerian to get in range of his claws and feet. Krystal fought gracefully with her staff, battling Chaos Marine or cultist at range or up close, twirling her staff and moving about like a dancer.

By this time the Tau Pathfinder had found another rooftop that overlooked the central plaza of the administration district. La'Jakob had switched back to using the rail rifle as his Exitus had only five slugs left and he preferred using them against something that 'definitely deserved it.' He aimed at fired at every Chaos Marine that tried to flank the Coalition, blasting the head off one Traitor and the left leg of another.

His scope focused on the Chaplain swinging his power mace like a true zealot, beating down cultist and Traitor Marine alike. Suddenly what appeared to be a long-las shot struck him in the knee from off screen and brought him down onto his knees. La'Jakob traced the projectile beam from another building window yards away and the cultist with the long-las sniper rifle. As the cultist aimed for another shot Jakob fired through the wall and blew his head to pieces.

--

Cassius got back up and noticed the rail-rifle projectile from the Tau's rooftop having splattered the cultist responsible for bringing the sniper down. He smirked and tapped his vox, looking up at the Tau's position.

"Thank you for the assistance," Cassius intoned, then added, "Ghost."

The Chaplain smirked and switched off his vox, before screaming out loud another litany and sending a Chaos Marine flying with his Crozius Arcanum Power Mace.

--

La'Jakob was frozen in place where he laid, his face inching away from the scope of the Exitus Rifle, mouth agape in shock and good eye narrowed as if he was recollecting the torn pieces of his past.

Tash noticed how he wasn't firing his weapon and prodded him in the shoulder, "La'Jakob, did the Chaplain just say…?"

La'Jakob shook his head and snapped at the Tau, bordering anger, "Yes he DID! Just keep firing for Aun'va's sake."

Jacques, Fox and Krystal fought almost in complete synchronization as they, Sturnn and the Cadian 412th, and the Ultramarines hacked down every cultist and daemon that lunged at him, resorting to using range when dealing with the Chaos Marines. When a squad of Slaanesh Terminators appeared before them in a pinkish burst of energy they all immediately as one – bolter, laser and staff fire shot.

More Chaos Marines charged from all sides; Krystal, Jacques and Tigerius enacted psychic shields as they Coalition was back to back firing at the Emperor's Children, the daemonette's and the cult groups, every shot counting and bringing down hundreds upon hundreds of foes. Their Tau allies watched with astonishment at how they fought.

'So incredible,' La'Jakob thought, seeing Fox and Jacques ahead of the Coalition, guns firing madly and swords swinging wildly, 'They fight as one, and so shall the fight be won.'

"La'Jakob," Tash cried, "We've got a shot on those summoning cultists the gue'la com lines kept chattering about."

Jakob saw through his scope that the cultists summoning the daemon and the pinkish haze around them had faded following the Coalition assault, leaving the praying cultists wide open. He spat out blood from his still bleeding mouth following his encounter with the lupine cultist and put his eye back to the scope. He breathed in through his mouth as he steadied his aim, seeing an Aspiring Champion approach the summoning circle, standing in the center with his arms stretched wide open.

He sighed, immediately feeling sorry for the misguided souls he was about to extinguish. He centered his sights on the nearest one.

"Whatever benevolent gods may exist in this universe that opposes the mont'au, may they all have mercy on your souls."

He pulled the trigger…

BLAM!

His eyes widened when he saw that the Exitus slug was hovering near the cultist's head, before it disintegrated. The Aspiring Champion smiled as the summoning circle transformed into the mark of Slaanesh and it engulfed him in pink. He raised his arms into the air and begun laughing insanely, the cultists around them slowly and painfully melting from the warp energy surrounding the Aspiring Champion as his eyes flashed purple as he received the highest honor to ever be bestowed upon the Aspiring Champion.

To be possessed by the Greater Daemon of the Chaos God they have devoted their lives to. And the Space Marines knew that.

"By the Emperor!" Tigerius exclaimed, "The Keeper approaches!"

Jacques frowned and rubbed the side of his head in discomfort, "Please, not again. Not so soon."

Krystal felt her migraines flare up, causing her to scream in pain and fall to her knees clutching her head as the Warp assaulted her. Calgar looked down at her curiously, then up at the summoning circle up ahead.

"Hold you ground, sons of Guilliman!" he ordered, "Prepare to send back whatever comes forth!"

The Aspiring Champion laughed out loud as he begun to shift form painfully, contortions appearing throughout his body. One loud shriek later his flesh peeled off, revealing a daemonic white-coloured ball of flesh that slowly assumed shape of that familiar four-armed deer-headed, chest exposed Greater Daemon. The moment it's hooves developed it stepped forward, focusing it's eyes on the Grey Knight and vulpine.

Fox was aghast at the sight of the Keeper, "The hell is that thing suppose to be?"

Jacques spat to the side and stood up, swords in his hand poised to strike.

"The Greater Daemon of Slaanesh," Jacques answered, as if he was bored, "The Keeper of Secrets. Emperor save me, I hoped to fight only one of these perverse monstrosities in my lifetime."

"Huh?" Fox turned to him abruptly, "When did you fight one of these?"

Jacques sighed, "It is what you would call a long story. I will tell you, if we survive."

He moved his head about and cracked the bones in his neck. The Keeper turned their way and appeared to chuckle as it begun moving toward them, arms swaying about and sword swinging. Laser, bolter and rocket fire slowed it's advance much to it's chagrin. Fox saw how determined Jacques was to bring him down, then noticed underneath his hand that gripped Eden something that made his heart skip.

The Star Fox symbol engraved on the bottom of the silver long-sword Eden.

"What the…?" Fox uttered.

Jacques turned his head towards him, eyebrows raised.

"What is wrong?" Jacques asked, "The Daemon approaches, you show hesitation."

"Hesitation my ass!" Fox cried, "Are you using both those swords?"

No sooner had Fox closed his mouth again Jacques thrust Eden towards him, and he hesitantly took the sword in his hand, and quickly got a feel for the surprisingly light blade. They kept their heads down as the Imperial/Cornerian/Tau firepower flew above them, increasing tenfold as the daemon approached. Fox gritted his teeth and charged ahead of Jacques, sword poised at his hip.

"Fox!" Jacques exclaimed, and chased after him.

The Keeper squealed with joy and let out a shrill scream, causing every Guardsmen and Cornerian soldier to cry out in agony stop firing. The Space Marine however didn't let the piercing stop them.

"ARGH! TOO LOUD!" Slippy cried, "WHAT'S IT DOING?"

"FUCKING STOPPING US FROM DOING ANYTHING! INBRED FROG!" Armiel shrieked angrily, "THOSE DAMNED EVIL PIECES OF…"

The Chimera nearby exploded from the sound penetrating it's fuel tanks and las-batteries, sending Guardsmen and Cornerians flying. Sturnn and Plymouth both gritted their teeth in pain as their felt their eardrums get rattled.

"DAMNATION!" Sturnn cried, "McCLOUD AND MORTENSEN BETTER DO SOMETHING!"

The Keeper kept shrieking as it advanced on Fox and Jacques. It hurled it's daemon sword towards Fox, who side-stepped and the blade headed straight for the Grey Knight. Through his psy-enhanced charge he didn't realize until sword-projectile and it struck him in the chest, the point sunk into his armor. It's daemonic power penetrated through the pain reducers in his body and inflicted burning agony throughout him as he flew backwards…

"ARGGGGHHHHHHHHH! KRYSTAL!"

…screaming out loud the first thing that was on his mind as he landed on his back, the sword through his armor and piercing through his chest, mere inches away from his head. Fox spun around, seeing him fall and distraught spread on his face.

"Jacques!"

He turned back to the daemon and saw it before him, but before he could act the daemon looked at him right in the eye and immediately put him under the it's spell – _**The Lash of Slaanesh**_. Fox felt his eyes dilute as he dropped to his knees before the creature.

Jacques tried getting up, but the daemon sword kept it down. He saw Fox kneeling before the daemon.

"Fox…no…" he struggled out, the pain coursing through him unlike anything he had ever felt before.

--

Standing alone and watching the scene before her from yet another rooftop, Taldeer looked solemn with seeing the 'Archon' struggling to get up and off the ground, but the daemonic presence keeping him down. She shook her head.

"Our last hope lies on the ground, daemon sword through his chest as he watches his brother bow before the Pleasure Lord, as he begins to exploit the vulpine's most darkest, deepest desires."

She noticed Krystal down there, running away from the Coalition lines, appearing to scream as she ran to Jacques aid.

"But look…" Taldeer continued, "She comes. She comes to aid the one that has her heart, but does not realize it. Surely she can save him in time so that he can save him."

Taldeer smiled lightly as she turned around, her dress flowing in the wind.

"Our Messiah may live after all."

--

Once again Krystal felt her heart pounding as she saw the two men most important to her fall. Jacques with a daemon sword in his chest and Fox caught in the spell of the pleasure god through his highest servant. While she desired to save both of them, she headed towards the closest one, seeing him writhe about on the ground, seemingly in pain.

"JACQUES! FOX! HOLD ON!"

Cassius cursed inwardly as she watched Krystal leave the safety of their defenses, "Foolish girl."

He turned to Tigerius, who gritted his teeth and focused as he stepped away from behind the cover of the Predator Annihilator and unleashed a mind wave that vaporized every oncoming daemon in her way as she ran to Jacques. When she reached him, he was struggling to get the sword out of his chest, but the daemonic energy keeping his hand from reaching the blade.

"Hold on Jacques," Krystal said as she reached for the sword's massive handle, "I'll…ARGHH!"

She felt her hands get burned as she touched the demonic blade. Jacques struggled to keep his eyes open, looking up at her painfully.

"Krys…" he struggled out, "My…my gauntlets…to the blade…"

Krystal looked down at him as she shook her hands, trying to cool them. She noticed him trying to reach for the blade, and instinctively grabbed his left hand and put it firmly on the blade. Jacques' power combined with the holy runes inscribed on the gauntlet quelled the daemonic taint on the blade and it lost it's power. Krystal gripped the blade's hilt again and pulled it out with all her might, tossing it aside and it turned to dust.

"Jacques?" Krystal questioned as she picked up Nemesis, "Can you stand?"

The Grey Knight looked at her glaringly. He hissed, "Fox is being tainted! We have to save him!"

Startled by his outburst she watched him get up, inhaling and exhaling harshly with a vicious glare with blood in his eyes. He snatched Nemesis out of Krystal's hand and turned to rush toward Fox and the Greater Daemon.

"Hold you ground, Mortensen!"

He froze when he heard the holy voice of Cassius. The Chaplain approached them, power mace over hi shoulder. He looked as if he was going to kill Jacques, worrying the Grey Knight some and worry Krystal immensely.

"You have been tainted, Brother!" Cassius exclaimed, "Brother Librarian Tigerius has sensed the stem of the daemon imbedded within you. Either you work to rid it out of your form now or prepare for the Emperor's Peace."

Jacques shook his head with contempt, "I will work to preserve myself right after I save Fox…"

He was cut off when Cassius charged and swung his Crozius Arcanum, catching Jacques by surprise and sweeping him off his feet, landing roughly onto the ground on his back and feeling Cassius boot on his chest, pinning him to the ground. Also off guard, Krystal moved to defend him but felt Cassius' gauntlet grab her by the throat and lift her off the air, feet dangling. Still holding her staff but sought not to use it and already gasping, Krystal could only look at the Chaplain with an expression of confusion and betrayal.

"Do you know of the xeno Act of Purification?" Cassius intoned, his voice rough, "The rites and ceremonies that swayed the Dark Cerinians away from the Ruinous Powers? Answer me now, or both McCloud and Jacques will lose their souls."

He then stretched his mace towards Jacques.

"I will kill your protector myself right before you."

Krystal gasped as she thought back to when she was young. And about the mass battle purification during the Cerinia Conflict against the Dark Cerinians so that the Ultramarines would not have purged her homeworld completely. It was the Act of Purification, developed and perfected thousands of year ago by her own royal bloodline that cleansed the mind, body and soul of taint that was one of the reason the Imperium, or more specifically the Ultramarines, sought to preserve and use the Cerinians towards mankind's interests.

That one time she tried to use it in order to exorcise a rogue Chaos daemon out of a misguided, backward Venomian army commander she had killed both the daemon and the commander, which was a major blow to her confidence as a elemental warrior and magister of Cerinina. Afterwards she hoped she would never have to use it again, but now the sudden zealotry of Chaplain Cassius was threatening both Fox and Jacques.

"Well? Do you?" Cassius asked again, his grip on her throat threatening to break her neck.

"Yes…yes," she gasped.

Cassius let go and she fell on her behind roughly, coughing and gulping in air. She fought back the urge to lunge at Cassius for hurting Jacques, but when she laid eyes on the Grey Knights disabled form her mind was immediately flooded with thousands of vivid imagery depicting the most disturbing depravity to be associated with the Chaos God of Pleasure. She gasped when she realized that the daemon had taken root inside him.

"But…the rites could kill him," she uttered in protest.

"Death is a release should he bow before the daemon!" Cassius exclaimed.

Jacques grunted as he tried to stand back up.

"Jacques…"

He looked at her and was horrified at the marks of strangulation on her neck, and the one who could do this shocked him to the core.

"…kneel on the ground."

Knowing what she meant he did so with hesitation. She picked up her staff and extended it, pointing the crystal towards it chests. She shed a single tear, never wanting to be the one to cause pain to her friend, and that all the while Fox was still suffering.

"This may hurt," Krystal said.

Jacques grimaced when he looked over his shoulder to see Fox helpless before the Keeper of Secrets, "It is not as much as what Fox is suffering right now. Be quick about it."

Krystal nodded and bit her lip as she begun the purification, focusing both her own bodily energies and that of nature, which was air she breathed and the moisture from her sweat (not daring to use the Warp as that was the source of Chaos) in order to cleanse Jacques' soul.

'I vowed to protect you, Jacques,' Krystal thought, 'And I'm going to do just that, even against your own kinsmen.'

Jacques saw the staff's crystal glow blue and a weird haze enveloped him. A weird yet comfortable sense of euphoria washed over him.'

'I feel warm,' he thought, feeling, 'As if…our souls are bonding….'

Suddenly the daemonic influence within him shrieked in agony and attempted to move deeper into him to avoid Krystal's power, which cut through Jacques' pain reducers and causing him to nearly crack his teeth as he gritted them in agony, but keeping silent for her sake.

--

Fox groaned out loud as he laid on the hard marble surface, a massive down-light illuminating the clearing he was in with a sickeningly pinkish glow, with nothing but darkness around it. He put an arm over his chest, feeling breathless and wetness spreading onto his arm. He looked at it and saw that he was bleeding from the chest, where the Keeper had slashed him.

"Good lord, what now?" he uttered to himself.

He heard light footsteps approach from behind him and turned around to face the silhouette of a human female emerging from the darkness, which slowly contorted shape into that of a naked pink-furred vixen. She was almost identical to Krystal except for her royal and sorcerer tattoos she had the mark of Slaanesh imprinted on her chest and over her breasts. Fox's eyes bulged at the sight of the smiling vixen exposed to him and tried to advert his eyes.

"No need to look away from me, Fox," the vixen spoke, in a tone of voice eerily similar to Krystal, "I revel in those who look at me for what I am."

"What are you suppose to be?" Fox demanded, looking at her but concentrating on her eyes and nowhere else, "And where are we?"

The vixen smiled as she approached Fox, tracing her hand from her face, down her chest and between her breasts, "I am everything you can ever desire in life. And we are in a place far from the material universe where you can indulge to your heart's content."

Fox frowned, "The Immaterium?"

"No, your mind," the vixen walked closer.

Fox eyes widened in fright and he stepped back away from her. The vixen smiled wider.

"You cannot deny me, Fox," the vixen started to sound malicious, "Very few have when they stand before my highest servant and under my lash. Those that fought back all died, their desires turned against them and tore them apart."

"Slaanesh!" Fox exclaimed, then sounded angry, "What the hell do you want from Lylat?"

The vixen closed her eyes, stretched her arms above her head and groaned, Fox trying his best to not be turned on by her actions. She sighed, "For every single kemono to bend over backwards, to fulfil both their material and carnal desires, to give me reason for existence."

'Slaanesh' personified opened her eyes, her smile faded and replaced with a look of contempt.

"You kemonos are by right animals…and animals live by instinct. And through instinct…pleasure."

"And just corrupting humanity wasn't enough for you and the other creatures that call themselves 'gods'?" Fox demanded, "Causing death and destruction to innocent people…AWK!"

Slaanesh ran forward and grabbed Fox by the throat, hoisting him into the air so that he begun choking.

"You speak as if I am my brother, Khorne. We are _nothing_ alike. You say I cause death and destruction, it is only towards those who stand against the truth of existence."

"What…truth?" Fox gasped out laid, his eyes beginning to glaze over.

"That all life succumbs to hedonism at one point in their existence," Slaanesh exclaimed, letting got of Fox, him falling on his back before her. She grinned and crawled on all fours, hovering over him, "For you…why not now? Why not with that vixen?"

Fox gritted his teeth as Slaanesh's face hovered above his, her pert, shapely form rubbing against his and slowly beginning to drive him insane. He replied shakily, "Not…now, not when we're trying to stop you."

"And you would let the Grey Knight take her for himself?"

"What?"

Slaanesh then moved forward and nuzzled Fox, who felt he couldn't breath from the shock of having the Dark God's personification paying 'attention' to him. She said, "You think Jacques wants Krystal to himself, though you try to convince yourself that he cares for her as a sister, and sometimes you can not help but wonder if Krystal wants him, rather then you."

Fox was silent as the vixen's words played on his mind, not realizing that she had taken his left hand and placed it against her left thigh, smiling pleasantly. Fox cried out loud and kicked her off him, her spiraling in the air and landing perfectly on her two feet. The vulpine spat in disgust to the side, hand feeling her cheek, which the Dark God had nuzzled him.

"That's bullshit!" Fox exclaimed, pointing his finger at her, "You twist eveything…"

"But it is the truth, right?"

Fox was silent, his mouth slightly agape as he then downcast his eyes.

"I…don't know. I have not idea how they feel towards each other."

He then gritted his teeth again and lashed out.

"But she _loves_ me that way, not Jacquse."

"How can be sure?" Slaanesh still questioned.

"SHUT UP!

The vulpine balled his fists and charged at her. She stepped to the side when he tried to swing a left hook at her. She then reached out and grabbed him by the wrist and pulled her to him. Fear spread through him as Slaanesh smiled desirably at him, as if he was prey. Fox tried to resist, but felt every muscle in his frame tense and lock up, feeling calm as he looked into her pink eyes.

The vixen moved her face towards him, "Give in to me, Fox McCloud. Allow me to take you away from this hellish universe and show you a world, made up of nothing but your wildest dreams."

Fox closed his eyes tightly as he anticipated the kiss from the pink vixen. She smiled, baring sharpened daemonette teeth, before pressing her lips against his roughly, her tongue immediately trying to gain entrance into his mouth.

"You…are mine now!" Slaanesh's real, effeminate male voice echoed around them, "Fox McCloud, son of James McCloud!"

Suddenly 'Slaanesh' was struck with a psychic force attack, which sent her spiraling some distance away. Fox inhaled deeply and turned to see his savior emerging from the shadows of his mind – A big burly heavily-muscled ultramarine blue Cerinian wearing a psychic hood, shoulder and elbow guards and a loincloth, holding a large thick Cerinian staff with the inverted omega symbol tattooed on his forehead.

The Cerinian looked at him and his chains vanished, making him fall 'painfully' on the ground. The walked up to him and Fox found himself squatting on his fours before his feet.

The Cerinian frowned and spoke in a familiar voice, "I thought you were stronger then this, McCloud."

Fox's eyes widened in shock as he stood up and staggered back, forgetting he was bare before the Chief Librarian masquerading as the Cerinian, "Tigerius?"

They heard fierce feminine chuckling from the darkness as the vixen reemerged, eyes blazing pink as flames surrounded her body. Fox caught his breath and glared at the Dark God taking the form of the woman he loved.

'I can't believe I thought of giving in to her,' Fox thought, angry at himself, '_Him_.'

Tigerius exclaimed almost angrily, startling him, "And this will the only time I will personally save your soul from the false gods. For if you die, Jacques' resolve will definitely crumble."

Fox turned back to him, and the last thing he heard before Tigerius' furry fist made contact with his face was Slaanesh screaming in rage as the Chief Librarian broke her/his hold on the vulpine's mind.

Broken from the Keeper's hold, he leapt back with Eden still in his hand. Fox then swung it, slashing the Keeper and is stumbled backwards. It then growled and charged him, swinging his claws. Fox adverted each of his swing, feeling confident he could still bring this daemon myself. The Keeper attacked again and Fox back flipped out of his harms way and swung Eden, relieving it of it's bottom left arm.

It wailed again and charged him, swing his bottom right claw and slashing him across the chest. His cry caught the attention of Krystal and Cassius as they continued to try and save Jacques. Cassius looked up and across a few yards to see the vulpine fall over the backward. He grimaced at the amount of blood it just shed, as well as his bits and pieces of his clothes.

Krystal held the staff to Jacques chest as he knelt, eyes closed as if in focus. He opened one eye, which immediately twitched when he saw Fox fall again.

"Damnation!" he yelled again, but as he tried to move…

"Please, Jacques," Krystal urged softly, "Don't move."

"But Fox is in peril."

"Do what she says, Jacques!" Cassius growled, "You are at risk of taint and the daemon approaches. Right now, you are the only one suited to vanquish him and you must still be able to see the Emperor's light."

The Keeper looked over the Coalition forces and how they are just staying put a dozen yards away, with the Chaplain and the Cerinian waiting on the Grey Knight, while the vulpine was lying at it's feet, a mighty slash on his chest and his clothes slowly burning away. It's eyes widened when the wound appeared to cauterize itself.

"Funny," the Keeper said, "So funny."

It then hissed out loud and bent over to the side, picking up a piece of fallen structure and hurling it towards the trio sitting between itself and the Coalition. Cassius and Jacques looked up at the here to see the small part of a building in the air descending towards them. Cassius downcast his good eye and prepared to join the Emperor in his realm.

Jacques looked down at Krystal, "Krystal…"

"Almost done," Krystal responded smiling and in relief of our abilities to perform the Purification rites, "I can't sense taint…"

"I am sorry…again."

Krystal looked up at him and his saddened eyes, then up at the sky and what was falling out of it and onto them. Horrified with the prospect of being crushed as her way of leaving life, she dropped her staff and closed her eyes tightly, clenching her teeth and whimpering slightly.

"No," Fox hissed out painfully as he rolled onto his stomach to see the trio. He then stretched his hand forward towards them as if in a futile attempt to reach them, "NO!"

He balled his hand into a fist and the building piece split itself into two and fell on opposite sides of Jacques, Krystal and Cassius. The trio stared over at the daemon and Fox, the vulpine stunned at what just happened…what he may have just did to save his friends and the Master of Sanctity.

--

Tigerius smirked as he tapped his forehead and said to Calgar, "So what I felt within the xeno was genuine. His father's genes have definitely passed on down to him."

Calgar stared at the Chief Librarian questioningly, "Is there any danger of Chaos taking him again?"

"So long as he does not _literally_ think of saving Jacques and the vixen like that again. And if he is disciplined on the workings of Chaos and the Warp."

--

"I grow tired of you lying at my feet, dormant psyker!" the Keeper hissed as it put it's left hoof out, "Your mere presence within the warp is enough to harm my master…"

It's hoof came down on Fox, who grabbed it and grinned sadistically.

"Oh goody!" the vulpine leered.

The Keeper screamed once again in pain as it felt the warp seep into him and freeze his physical body's muscles. Fox was broken from his smiling trance when he realized what he was doing…

"Shit! How…can I be doing this?"

--

Jacques leapt up onto his feet, feeling his strength returned and the daemonic taint fading away. Stunned at his movement, Krystal stepped back some, almost tripping over her staff if Jacques hadn't grabbed her by the hand and pulled her back. She stretched her hand out so that she was leaning on an upright, battle ready Jacques Mortensen.

"What's gotten into you?" Krystal demanded, eyebrows furrowed sternly, "You could still be hurt!"

The Grey Knight shook his head, "No. You saved me."

Krystal softened up immediately, looking up into his vulpine eyes.

"Fox?" Krystal said, then looked to see him still lying at the feet of an immobilized Keeper of Secrets, "He's still lying there before that thing?"

"And I will save him!" Jacques exclaimed determinedly, "Chaplain?"

Cassius stepped aside out of his way, raising his Crozius Arcanum towards the daemon, face forward and stood in a disciplined matter. He then moved his pupils towards Jacques.

"Vanquish the daemon, Brother Mortensen!" Cassius exclaimed with authority, "The Chapter and the Emperor demands it!"

Jacques nodded, then looked ahead at his target. He closed his eyes and relaxed his mind, so that to him the only things that existed was him – The Emperor's Chosen. Krystal the Cerinian vixen His sister and reason for life. Fox McCloud the vulpine – His brother and Commander. And the Keeper of Secrets – The foolish daemon who dared threaten both of them and who sought to take his purpose in life away.

To Jacques in a situation like this, in order to prevail one must rely on both bravery and the madness associated with his actions…

"Agititis Ultramarini," Jacques whispered…'

He gripped Nemesis' hilt tighter.

"Dominatus Ultramarini…ira furor brevis est…"

Krystal's eye widened, recognizing the language as High Gothic, the advanced form of the antique Latin.

'Rise up, Ultramarines…Dominate them Ultramarines…for wrath is but a brief madness,' she mentally translated, recognizing the main Imperial tongue.

Jacques then pushed her back gently.

"Let me protect you, Krystal," he looked over at her, appearing distraught, "Let me protect _him_. Please stand aside."

Like a white blur of light the Grey Knight then charged the whole dozen yards at the stunned Greater Daemon, noticing how it tried to move it's limps but it couldn't for some reason. Jacques saw the sense to seize this mysterious opportunity and send it straight back to the closest thing to Hell there is. He hacked apart any Slaanesh lesser daemon that got in his way before he bounded off the ground, feet landing on the side of a ruined structure then bounding of towards the daemon, raising his sword.

"SLAANESH!" he cried out loud, "LEAVE HIM ALONE, DAMN YOU!"

Jacques furrowed his eyebrows and glared as he descended down towards the stunned Keeper of Secrets, Nemesis raised above his head. One cry of might later he brought it down on the Keeper's neck and decapitated the Greater Daemon, it's head dissipating before it hit the ground. Landing before the headless Keeper he spun around and drove Nemesis into it's gut, then unleashed a powerful psychic wave that blew the daemon out of it's mortal shackles and back into the warp in a massive hellstorm of pink energy.

Before Jacques could bend over to recover Fox a flash of pink energy engulfed both of them, blinding Jacques…

"FOX!"

…and when he opened his eyes, he found both vulpine and Eden disappeared. Before he had the chance to figure out why the pink energy behind him exploded and engulfed him. He had been just standing there fresh from killing the daemon when he disappeared amidst the daemonic fire. Krystal's eyes widened in horror with seeing both men disappear before him.

"FOX! JACQUES!"

"Oh my God…" Slippy said softly, seeing all this happen before him from a distance.

"Incredible," Sturnn uttered as he and Cadian 412th watched all this unfold.

La'Jakob and the Tau Pathfinders watched with awe and horror from their vantage point. The only human amongst the blueskins shook his head.

'He can not die,' he thought bitterly, 'At least not yet. Not until he remembers who I am.'

From the skies above the battlefield…

"Fuck me," Falco uttered as he watched this from the air in the Arwing.

Flying beside him Katt could only watch in silent apprehension and worry at the scene unfolding beneath them. The same went for La'Jakob as he and his team moved in towards the center of the administration are where most of the Coalition forces were currently standing. He shook his head in disbelief as he gripped his SMGs.

"Not now," he uttered to himself, "Mortensen can not die now. At least not until I tell him who I really _am_ from my own mouth."

After the dust settled and the eldritch energy faded away there was only him, still standing and looking shocked. Krystal was at first relieved to see him there, but it faded and she was filled with horror when he fell over onto his side, dropping Nemesis which cluttered onto the ground. Krystal ran towards him, dropping her staff in the process, and practically threw herself on him.

"Jacques! Jacques!" she wailed out loud, "Oh, God!"

The Grey Knight coughed, before forcing his eyes open and immediately was both shocked and happy with seeing her face again. The shock with seeing the wound across her face hurt more than any physical pain ever could. Krystal wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled with joy, revealing her canines. She knelt beside him and running her paw through his dirty, bloodstained brown hair, her facial fur wet with tears

"Fox…" Jacques gasped hoarsely, "Where….is Fox?"

Krystal's smile disappeared as she turned around to see where the vulpine had been lying previously, panic and worry on her features. She turned back to Jacques, feeling the tears once again pool in her eyes. She didn't mean to cry so much, but after everything that had happened to her and the team in terms of fighting the hedonistic masses of Slaanesh and risking their hides to their torturous machinations she couldn't help herself.

"I…I don't know," Krystal whispered.

Jacques clenched his teeth and groaned, before moving his right thumb towards her face and delicately gliding it over the wound on her face, sadness and regret on his face. She gasped when she thought she heard Jacques mentally communicating to himself…

'You stupid fool! You…I…swore to protect them! And I failed…_again._'

And he was. He mentally kicked and punched himself; shrieked in anger and cursed out loud at himself for not being there for his sister Krystal when she received that wound, which would no doubt become a scar once it healed. And now that his brother Fox has mysteriously disappeared and he wasn't quick enough to recover him from the Keeper of Secrets he begun to feel hatred. Though he knew it was wrong to feel hatred, he did…but only at himself.

'Emperor,' he thought bitterly, 'Why is this happening to me? Why is the taint in all our hearts?'


	21. Chapter 18: Perversion Ends

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_A/N: I appreciate your reviews…_

_(continued at end of chapter)_

* * *

Chapter 18 – Perversion Ends

* * *

_Long shall be your suffering. Joyous be your pain._  
**- Asteroth, Daemon prince of Slaanesh**

With his escort of several Noise Marines, female Cornerian cultists and mounted Daemonettes, the Champion of Slaanesh himself Lucius the Eternal smiled down at the unconscious vulpine at his feet. Fox was now dressed only in his tattered pants and revealing the massive slash across his chest, which was rapidly healing and turning into a scar. Lucius licked his lips with his long tongue, a gift from Slaanesh, and got down on one knee.

"I did not think that you and Mortensen would have won over the twisted corruption of Slaanesh, and did not the expect the Eldar to outflank us this match," the Champion of Slaanesh said, "I guess the McCloud family has perfect, incorruptible genes and the best luck in the universe."

As Fox stirred, a black-armored and robed Chaos Sorcerer, who held his staff in his right and the Eden sword in his left, approached Lucius.

"I have here the kit's sword, Champion," the Sorcerer spoke in a very dark tongue, "And I believe it was the one that had belonged to his father."

Lucius underneath the hilt and sure enough saw the Star Fox insignia carved into it. He frowned and drove the sword into the ground next to Fox's head.

"Perhaps not incorruptible," Lucius changed his mind, then turned to a group of daemonettes and cultists and pointed downwards at Fox, "His carnal desires towards the Cerinian are fuel for the fires that will brand him with the Mark of Slaanesh."

Fox groaned and opened his eyes, returning to consciousness. He gasped when he saw Lucius standing over him, eyes darting around to see if there was any chance of help or escape, but finding himself rapidly surrounded.

"Hopefully what you will experience at the hand of the Pleasure God's daughters will be a thousand times better then whatever you would have experienced within the vixen's depths," Lucius bellowed, "And you will devote yourself to our master, fighting in his name and experiencing pleasure that only comes from killing his enemies."

Fox frowned and said, "Go back to Hell and rot for another ten-thousand years!"

Smiling cruelly he wasn't finished.

"Your Grey Knight brother can have the vixen to himself in the short time before we take his soul…that is if he can accept she's not his sister…heh…heh…heh"

Fox's eyes widened in shock, before he shot upwards…

"BASTARD!"

…and lunged angrily at Lucius, who slapped him across the face and sent him flying towards the daemonettes and cultists. As they surrounded them, the Black Legion Sorcerer stepped over to him, allowing him to take in his daemonic, dark visage in the form of his robes and his Bedlam staff.

The Sorcerer glared down at the vulpine, "This is with regards from the Warmaster Abaddon, McCloud. You will pay for your father's whims against the Dark Gods."

He then stretched his foot out and kicked Fox upside the head, knocking him out.

'Kry…Krystal,' his last thought was before he descended into blackness, hearing evil chuckling that begun to echo in his mind.

--

It would be safe to say that Peppy was upset, no, devastated when the live-feed images of the death and destruction of MacBeth were plastered on the vid-screens in the control room. Whispers of despair and sadness passed around the tech staff and some of the officers present while Peppy leaned back into his seat and covered his mouth with his hand, trying to remain steadfast.

"Admiral Hancock," he said, "Status report?"

We have secured orbit above the planet, sir, but we've sustained heavy damage to all our cruisers and frigates. Imperial orbital casualties report minimal.

"I see," Peppy nodded, "Planetside?"

_We've just lost contact with the surface five minutes ago, sir, _Hancock responded regretfully, _Their last transmission, according to Colonel O'Reilly, reports they have secured the railway complex and are organizing defense against incoming enemy reinforcements._

"How long until they engage?"

They reported ten minutes. So I would say it would now be ten minutes, sir, maybe less.

"Thank you, admiral. Keep me informed of any developments."

The com switched off and Peppy tapped his fingers on his arm rest, wondering what Fox and co. must be going through, the same with his daughter on Fichina. So far no word has come from the ice planet regarding 412th 3rd Battalion under Governor-Militant Alexander's bolster of their defenses, and Peppy feared the worst.

But mostly for those he considers family.

--

_Fox?_

The vulpine just moaned painfully when he heard that familiar voice call to him.

"Uhhh…I'm still…alive. Some tin-can kicks me upside the head and I'm still al…"

_Fox? Wake up…now!_

Hearing Bill speak to him in a stern echo jolted him from unconscious. He opened his eyes to find himself in a lavish looking stone-carved room decorated with fine rugs, exotic wallpaper and paintings and the mark of Slaanesh painted on the support pillars holding the roof up. He was dangling off the ground with his arms held above him as they were chained to the ceiling, still dressed in his tattered pants, now ripped close enough to make them close to boxers.

The room was empty, save for Bill who was standing before him with his arms to his sides, and looking pensive.

"Bill…?" Fox croaked.

Bill shook his head, eyes downcast, "I figured it out, Fox."

"To what?"

"How I'm talking to you from beyond the grave."

Fox smirked painfully, eyes scanning the ground, "Cause' I'm hallucinating, that's why."

"Nope, more complicated than that," Bill stated, forcing Fox's eyes to stare at him closely, "And it's gonna affect you and possibly every generation to come once you and everyone else's buried remains will be microscopic dust."

"Oh jeez," Fox chuckled mirthlessly as he looked up at the ceiling, "Do I want to know?"

"I am…I mean I was, a Pskyer."

Fox looked back at him, the humour falling flat and he appeared serious, "What?"

"I didn't know at the time," Bill explained, "Even when I was locked up in The Cage and shitting my pants every day, somehow I knew that Chaos was going to attack Lylat and was trying to tell everyone about it. And when that goddamn daemon killed me and took over my body, my soul…"

He exhaled painfully and sat down on a chair nearby.

"…my spirit didn't die. I found myself in what _they_ said was the Immaterium, the universe beyond our material plane."

"_They_?"

"Those creatures that call themselves Chaos Gods – those things that the Chaos Marines worship. They tried to absorb me into themselves, but I fled…I'm still fleeing them, hiding within the Warp and I'm exposing myself talking to you."

He smiled again, almost if he was feeling joyful.

"It's evolution, Fox. Just like with humanity, the psychic gene is developing within us, and those genes will pass onto our kids and they'll be full-blown psykers from birth. The Cerinians were the first to tap into the Warp, despite the fact very bad things come from there so they relied mostly on the natural elements…"

"Yes, yeah!" Fox nodded, then groaned, "Fire, Water, Earth…I know the whole deal."

"It's deep, it's complicated, it's thousands of years in the making," Bill explained, "But damn, look at you. I bet there's more out there that are dormant, just waiting for the right time to unleash their mental power on the universe.

He looked at him with a maddening tinge in his eyes, wiping Bill's smile off his face.

"Did you come here to just tell me we're rivalling humans in becoming mind-readers, or are you going to leave me chained here in god knows where?"

Bill rolled his eyes and stood up, snapping his fingers together, "Well, since you're currently dangling there with a blindfold in this room surrounded by cultists getting ready to cut you and dance suggestively around you half-dead body before they corrupt you I suppose I could help you."

The dog stepped forward and placed his hand on the vulpine's chest, finger slightly digging into Fox's flesh.

"This is going to hurt, and not just you either. Welcome to evolution."

"What are you gonna…?"

Fox suddenly felt a massive surge of power throughout his body and mind and he screamed out loud in agony, feeling like his soul was set on fire and that it was drawing to claw it's way out of his body. Within the darkest corners of the Warp, the Chaos Gods all felt the surge and each screamed in agony, feeling another presence threaten their very existence.

"OH GOD!" Fox screamed, eyes clinched painfully, "KRYSTAL…JACQUES…"

--

Every Psyker in the Cadian 412th all simultaneously dropped their force staff and grabbed their heads, feeling red-hot agony course their heads as migraines set in, feeling the disruption within the Warp affect them. Sturnn and his officers were startled as his personal Psyker interrupted their briefing in the command tent, prompting Plymouth to pull our his laspistol and aim it at the Psyker.

"Wait!" Sturnn exclaimed, making Plymouth lower his laspistol. He stepped over and grabbed the Psyker by the shoulder, "What can you sense?"

"A great pain…m-m-m-m-m-my lord," the Psyker responded shakily, "A g-g-g-g-reat disturbance within the Warp, and the Emperor's Light, thin it already is in this opposing galaxy, faded for a brief second."

"What does that mean, Lord General?" one of the senior officers asked.

Sturnn shoved the Psyker aside and turned towards his office, grimacing, "It means that Chaos is up to something. What of our hold on this base?"

"Every platoon, armoured weapon and portable defences has been propped in the direction which the enemy reinforcements will engage, which are the southern and southern-western flanks, my lord," another senior officer reported, tapping his earpiece vox with a look of smugness "With 3rd Battalion reporting planet fall we will hold the enemy off, wipe them out, then advance to secure this world."

Sturnn slapped his hands together, "The Emperor must truly be with us this day. Traitors and xeno may be among us fighting our enemy but the Emperor is with us."

"Certainly, General," Plymouth said, "Shall we be joining the defences in the residential and southern administration areas?"

Without a word, Sturnn extended his lightning claws and signalled his officers to follow him out of the tent and into the battle. His Command Squad waited out side and all saluted when he pulled back the flap of his tent. With the standard bearer walking beside him the General, followed by his subordinates, marched to personally take charge of the impending defence of the secured railway complex.

Some distance away near their stationed Arwings, Falco and Katt were busy stretching their bodies and trying to rid themselves of the knots in their muscles following their massive air battle. Knowing that they would be jumping back into the cockpits soon enough they decided to loosen up as best they could. Falco gritted his teeth as he moved his head about and felt his neck bones creak.

"Ah, that's smarts," he groaned, "Hey Katt…"

"Hmm?" the feline was stretched his legs forward one at a time.

"You see Fox, Krystal or Slippy around?"

"And Jacques?"

Falco frowned, "Yeah, and him as well."

Katt looked around the blood-soaked administration ground, narrowing her eyes as she scowled carefully, seeing most Guardsmen platoon rushing off to their station of defence while others laid about the ground being tended by the medicae personnel. She was suddenly startled when a certain green frog appeared before her and Falco.

Slippy smiled, "Hey Falco! Hey Katt?"

Falco's felt his heart stop when he saw the state of the frog. His cap was missing, replaced by a strip of red cloth around his forehead with scars running down his face and over his eyelids. Slippy's smile faded upon realising why they looked at him shockingly.

"Shit, Slippy!" Falco cried, "Did you get thrown through a window or something?"

"If by window you mean the Arwing canopy, then yeah," Slippy nodded, "I'm not that ugly am I?"

Falco smiled and patted him on the shoulder, "Don't sweat it, Slip. Chick's dig scars, right Katt?"

Katt crossed her arms, looking plain, "If I did, would I still hang around you?"

"Good point."

Slippy's eyes widened, he desperately thought, 'What if Amanda gets repulsed by me now? I'll die if I can't be with her.'

The frog shook his head and then asked, "Where's Fox, Jacques and Krystal?"

"We are right here."

Slippy jumped in fright when Jacques and Krystal, both bloodied and bruised, appeared behind him. Falco ant Katt's were shocked once again when they saw the scar etched on Krystal's face, and immediately dreaded asking where Fox was.

"Er…Fox?" Katt stated.

Jacques and Krystal glanced at one another, causing Falco to gulp slightly in fear.

The vixen turned to him, "They took him."

"How?" Falco exclaimed, starting to get angrily, "How the fuck did they get their hands on him?"

Krystal exhaled through her nose and collapsed on her behind, hiccupping slightly and massaging her forehead with her hands, "I…I don't know…"

"Sorcery!"

All heads turned towards the approaching 24 Ultramarines led by Calgar, Tigerius and Cassius, minus the only one that had lost his life during the attack, having been overwhelmed on all sides simultaneously by cultists and daemon, and was torn apart. He had just received the Emperor's Peace minutes ago and his Gene Seed retrieved by the Apothecary.

"There is a Sorcerer present on this planet," Tigerius stated again, growling, "He grabbed McCloud after Jacques delivered the final blow to the Keeper. I sensed his power…"

The Chief Librarian frowned and gripped his force staff.

"He is of the Arch-Heretic's personal stock."

Krystal looked at Tigerius, appearing hopeful, "Can you sense where Fox is? I thought…I sensed the warp come from him."

'That was impossible,' Jacques thought bitterly, 'Fox is a dormant psyker. Why did I not sense it before? This is insanity.'

Tigerius opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Cassius who frowned and declared, "Are you sure you want to try and recover McCloud? Seeing as how by now he would have been corrupted by the minions of Slaanesh."

Krystal felt rage well up inside her, not forgetting how just a quarter of an hour ago Cassius had threatened both her and Jacques' lives, and forcing the vixen to purify Jacques or possible taint or he would kill him herself. And that definitely struck a nerve, especially with her vow to protect him. It was taking all of her self-control to not just rush the Chaplain and beat him towards an inch of her life for threatening her best friend's lives.

She downcast her eyes and whispered, "I don't want to hear you speak again, zealot."

Jacques' eyebrows raised and looked down at her, startled.

"What was that?" Cassius intoned.

Slippy, Falco and Katt looked at the brewing hostility between Krystal and Cassius with apprehension, while Calgar and Tigerius watched with interest.

Krystal looked up at him, anger blazing her eyes watch made some of the Marines present to handle their boltguns tightly, "I said I don't want to hear your voice again, zealot!"

"Why so hostile?"

Krystal glared and gripped her staff, which extended in her hand. She cried, "You dare ask me why? You think I'd just forget what you tried to do to Jacques just now?"

Intrigued, Cassius thought, 'She's only thinking of him, not the fact I wringed her by the neck. She thinks that much of him? Interesting.'

Jacques sighed and grabbed Krystal's left arm tightly, but not tight enough to hurt her, rather stop her from stepping forward with her staff and risk getting herself killed over him. She looked up at him and how he looked at her sternly. He shook his head slightly.

'Not now, Krys,' Jacques thought to her.

Krystal's eyes widened, 'You can't let him get away with that! He would have killed you.'

'Do not worry. He will not do that again. But if he dares try to hurt you again….'

Calgar interrupted their mental exchange and said, "Thank you Brother Mortensen for keeping the Cerinian under control."

Krystal calmed down, but embittered at Jacques' unwillingness to do anything, even if it was towards a higher-ranking Astartes, stepped up from him and kept space around herself. The members of Star Fox looked at her with confusion.

'That hell is with her?' Falco thought.

Slippy however frowned, 'I saw what that Chaplain did to Jacques and Krystal. God, I wouldn't want to be in his metal shoes.'

Jacques looked at her sadly, already feeling regret for what transpired between the both of them and Cassius, before Calgar brought him back to reality.

"Now to other matters," Calgar continued, "Such as the defence of this complex against the approaching Slaanesh army from the south. Tigerius?"

Tigerius tapped his forehead and relayed, "I sense that McCloud is being held ten miles to the south, and if that massive psychic wave we psykers just felt is any indication then his power had just been awaken, and for a brief moment the Immaterium itself was affected."

Jacques grunted and moved his left hand to his face, feeling blood trickle from his eye. He then balled into a fist.

"That was an intense warp signature,'" he cried, feeling more embittered, "Lord Macragge, we must recover Fox as soon as possible!"

"Settle down, Mortensen!" Calgar exclaimed, "First we must prepare for the oncoming onslaught, then we shall proceed to retake this planet in it's entirety after we have established our beach-head once and for all here."

Falco chuckled, then hissed, "You like the sound of your own voice, don't ya' Marneus?"

Calgar snorted and stepped over to him, causing Falco to visibly wince at the mere size of the Chapter Master compared to his.

"If you desire to save McCloud now and forsake our defences here, then by all means go ahead," Calgar told him, "But I guarantee that you will not survive."

Feeling crestfallen Falco gritted his teeth and waved his hand in defeat, "Forget I said anything. We can't pick up his signal anyways."

Calgar nodded, then ordered out loud, "My Brothers! Execute Protocol 18 as dictated by the Codex Astartes – Defensive strategy. Let us proceed!"

And with that the Ultramarines strode past Jacques and Team Star Fox, mixing in with the sea of Guardsmen as they mouth to the south of the base in preparation for the attack, leaving them with an atmosphere of discontent and malevolence.

"Well, that was…" Slippy begun, then noticed stares of annoyance at him, "Er…never mind. Hey Jacques…"

"Yes?"

"Cassius attacked Krystal and you didn't do anything about it," Slippy reminded him with a frown, "What's up with that?"

Jacques gritted his teeth in frustration and announced, "I expected him to attack me when I refused to have the taint exorcised out of me right away. I did not expect him to outright lay his hand on Krystal."

Krystal looked at him, sadness evident in her eyes as she could only imagine what effect this would have on Jacques, seeing as how he probably looked up to Cassius, as did the rest of the Ultramarines, as the centre of spiritual enlightenment within the Chapter. And for him to attack Krystal must be stirring up feelings of conflicted loyalties towards Cassius, and possibly the entire Chapter. She knew that loyalty was one of the things driving Jacques onwards. More specifically: Loyalty to the Chapter and to the Emperor, and loyalty to her. She hoped he would never have to put in a position where had the choice of one or the other. It would destroy him and her, whatever he chose.

Krystal sighed, "You don't have to worry about me, Jacques. I can take care of myself."

"Aw, crap," Falco rolled his eyes, "I know where this is going. Look, can we concentrate on pulling Fox out of whatever hell-hole he's being dropped into and kill the rest of these tainted pricks-of-a-tin-cans."

He then lowered his head and chuckled mirthlessly.

"I'm not gonna be sleeping well tonight, that's for damn sure."

"Ditto," Katt added softly, lovingly wrapping her arms around his neck and nuzzling the back of his neck. She noticed the others looking at him and her and she frowned, "Well…we've got work to do, right?"

"Yes," Jacques nodded and loaded his storm bolter with a fresh clip. He then had an idea…

"Falco?"

"Big man?"

"Is the Great Fox on stand by?"

--

Meanwhile some distance away and sitting in front of the main administration building on some stone benches in front of a still functioning fountain…

_Unhand that child immediately! The Emperor's Chosen demands it!  
_

_You can't tell me what to do Mr. High-and-Mighty Space Marine brat! He's my good-for-nothing daemonspawn son and I'm gonna do to him what I should have done when he killed my wife!  
_

_You are out of line! Put that bottle down and unhand him._

_C'mere you little shit! You little…ARGHHHH! MY ARM! MY FUCKIN' ARM!!_

_I warned you! Those who dare lash out at humanity's future will feel the Emperor's wrath on their heathen heads._

_No, please, wait…I'm sorry, I'm drunk…_

_Step outside, boy._

_Jakob, wait…don't leave…I didn't mean…_

…_._

…_._

…_._

_Prepare for judgement, child-beater!_

_NO! NO! ARGHHH…urk…!_

"AHH!"

La'Jakob opened his eyes and cried out in fright, almost standing up from his sitting position on the side of the fountain in fright, sweat rolling down his face. He looked around frantically, gradually realising the stares he was getting from his fellow Tau and any Guardsmen and Cornerian soldier that passed, and that he realised he had been caught in the midst of what can be perceived as a day dream.

La'Tash stepped up to him, "Another daydream, La'Jakob?"

Inhaling and exhaling painfully, Jakob looked at his watch and saw that he had four hours until he had to dose up on his steroid medication, lest he succumbed to the effects of Nerve Rot.

"Damn Nerve Rot," Jakob cursed silently, "And damn myself for setting foot on that damnable planet. I inflicted it on myself."

Tash looked at him confusingly, "From what you told us at the beginning you were dumped on that death world by the Space Marine gue'la along with your friends. You can't blame yourself for that."

Jakob nodded, frowning at him, "I know that, La'Tash. I know that."

He then looked down at himself and sighed as he sat back down

"I just wish I was stronger, then I would have spared myself this condition and they would be here with us fighting for the Greater Good," Jakob drifted off, "Mikki, John…"

"Gue'vesa'Shas'la!"

Jakob's head shot up and he stood up to greet a running Pathfinder, who stood before him and took a few seconds to catch his breath.

"La'H'yuk?" Tash crossed his arms, "What is going on?"

"Is there anything to report?" La'Jakob queried.

"It's the Coalition," the Pathfinder known as La'H'yuk said, "They're prepping for the defence of the Landing Zones. Reports indicate that a massive column of Chaos Marine reinforcements is approaching our position."

Jakob nodded, "So Imperial intelligence is reliable after all."

"There is another thing," La'H'yuk continued, "Further intelligence points out that Fox McCloud is missing in action."

Alarmed, the gue'la cried, "What? How?"

"What I heard was vague, but during the battle against the daemon he disappeared without a trace," La'H'yuk explained further, "And but not before exhibited some kind of power that saved the lives of the last Cerinian and the Grey Knight?"

'Power? Does he mean that mont'au source known as the Warp? And where is Commander Farsight?' Jakob thought with a frown, before he asked, "Are there plans to search and rescue McCloud?"

The sounds of plasma engines were heard as O'Shovah and the Crisis Suits touched down behind La'Jakob and the Pathfinders. One XV88 landed in the fountain and sprayed water into the air, soaking some of the Pathfinders. La'Jakob flinched when some of the water hit him in the face and he spun around to face O'Shovah.

"Not at this very moment, gue'la," O'Shovah spoke through his suit's com system, "Which is a shame, seeing as how he played a vital role in securing this complex."

Shocked, La'Jakob ran a hand through his hair and asked, "So we are not going to do anything?"

"I said 'Not at this very moment,'" O'Shovah reiterated, "Once we have defended our positions from the impending Chaos counterattack we will begin tracking down and eliminating the remaining Chaos forces on the planet. McCloud is bound to be among them, assuming they have not killed him already."

"What did you do with those Cornerian artillery cannons, Shas'O?" La'Tash inquired.

"Turned them over to the Cornerians," O'Shovah replied, "They can handle them better then we can. Now…"

He fired up his jetpack.

"…back to the front. I expect you and the Pathfinders to be covering your allies."

La'Jakob nodded and beat his chest in acknowledgment as the XV88s ascended back into the air and out of sight. He turned to the Pathfinder, picking up his rifle, which had been leadning against the fountain.

"Alright, let us make ourselves useful," he stated, "For T'au!"

"For T'au!" the Pathfinders responded, grabbing their weapons and running in the direction of the Crisis Suits.

As La'Jakob moved to follow, La'Tash grabbed him by the shoulder and mad him stare into his visor.

"La'Tash?"

"Surely you haven't put all your trust in Commander Farsight, La'Jakob," La'Tash queried anxiously, "He and the Enclaves are still separated from the rest of the Empire, and the Greater Good."

La'Jakob smirked and squeezed his shoulder in response, "I am still wary of him, Tash. If he should turn against Aun'shi, I will standing there between the both of them."

"I'll hold you to it then, gue'la."

He then heard his com beep and his answered it.

_On second thoughts, La'Jakob, _O'Shovah recanted suddenly, _There are plans to retrieve McCloud._

"There are, Shas'O?"

"Seek out Mortensen. He will tell you more."

--

"Wow, Fox. I didn't know you were into this sort of stuff."

"Uhhhhhh….Wolf? Yo…you're alive…?"

Seeing nothing but black and still feeling like he was hanging by his arms from the roof, dangling some millimetres off the floor, he coughed out loud and moaned, feeling like had had just been set on fur and even smelling his own cooked fur. And just then he heard the voice of his long-time rival, and whom sounded he was chuckling.

Another familiar voice lamented, "Oh dear, I would've like the décor in here if it wasn't for all the extra red."

Yet another familiar added with a chortle, "Yeah, wonder what went on in here? They fought over who was gonna skin him first, heh heh heh…my kinda' people."

"Pipe down, you two," Wolf barked, then addressed Fox, "Well, pup I wouldn't say it's nice to see you again…and I guess I caught you at a very unpleasant time. I mean, you just dangling there in your boxers right in front of me, where the remains of about a dozen cultists lay strewn around us and looks like you just took one right in the chest. You're wide open."

Fox yelped in pain when he felt the duct tape around his eyes sockets get ripped off, taking some fur with it. When his view cleared it revealed Wolf to be standing in front of him, a smile upon his face with Panther and Leon standing in the background, in the nicely-decorated, yet bloodstained and body-riddled room with it's door blown out of it's hinges and into the hallway. Wolf held the tape that had some of his orange fur on it and cast it aside towards Panther, who made a face of disgust and stepped out of the way.

His face now stinging with the rest of his body Fox narrowed his eyes and hissed, "Gonna finish me off, Wolf?"

The lupine pulled out his combat knife and waved in front of the vulpine's face, still smirking, "That's really tempting, pup. I could just plunge this right in your heart and be done with you. But then again…"

He withdrew the knife and sighed.

"…I'd sink even lower then the perverts."

He then raised his knife and drove the blade into the padlock holding Fox's hands together. Twisting the blade, which was in the keyhole he released Fox, who slumped onto the ground from pain and exhaustion. Wolf groaned and appeared annoyed, where he kicked Fox in the side of the ribs, who cried out in pain and moved into a fetal position on the floor

"Now that is just pitiful, Fox," Wolf growled, "Panther, Leon…we're wasting our time here."

As he turned to leave, he suddenly stopped. Fox looked up at the lupine and saw him look over his shoulder back at him.

"One thing, though," Wolf said, then turned back around to face him, "What exactly went on in here? From the looks of the pervs they huddled around you, then suddenly they were torn apart. From the direction of the bodies and the blood splatter, it came from your direction."

Leon shook his head and sneered, "He's not one of those psychic freaks, is he? Heard they can tear armies to pieces just be staring at them."

Wolf raised his left eyebrow in interest, "What makes you say that?"

"Remember that job back on Kew and Governor Jaeger's advisory staff? Total carnage." Leon replied, then made a face. He then turned to Panther suddenly, "Oh, this was before you came aboard."

"I wasn't worried," Panther responded, then nudged towards Fox, "What do we do about him?"

Fox coughed some more, causing Wolf to turn his nose in disgust.

"Leave him. He can find his own way out of this mountain and the Chaos encampment at it's base by himself," Wolf said, sounding cryptic, "Let's go."

Panther smiled, "Heh…if he dies here that leaves Krystal…."

"And her tin-can of a bodyguard," Wolf interrupted, "Don't get any ideas."

The vulpine closed his eyes tightly and heard their heavy footsteps exit the room and down the corridors. Suddenly the sound of gunfire was heard followed by the slumping of bodies. Fox's eyes shot open when he realised something.

'Mountain?' he thought, 'The only bit of elevated terrain on MacBeth is Mount Twirlenkiller. Chaos base? Does Wolf mean their main base of operations?"

He rolled over on his stomach and put his hands firmly on the floor, attempting to lift himself up from the floor. Slowly and gradually he stood on his own two feet, taking time for his eyesight to adjust and the wobbliness in his vision to subside, stepping back roughly and putting his back against the wall. He tried to not let the look and smell of the blood and dead cultists get to him, electing to focus his mind on something else.

'Leon mentioned 'psychic freaks'?' Fox thought, 'Did he call me a psyker? That can't be right. I would have already torn Star Wolf's ships in half a long time ago when I thought about it. Heh…look at me, I'm ruminating mentally. How pathetic is that?'

He groaned and stretched his arms, working the kinks out of his battered, still sore body.

'Recap: We land on MacBeth, take the base, I get captured and sent here where I most likely would have had _very_ bad things done to me if somehow these freaks hadn't exploded mysteriously and Wolf unchain me. Shit, Wolf…'

He frowned.

"The hell are you playing at?"

He heard moaning from a horizontally bisected male cultist laying at his feet. He looked down and immediately put his foot out and crushed his neck, killing him. He then reached down and pulled the cultist's Slaaneshi dagger from the sheath attached to his chest. He then looked at the other end of the room and battered out door.

The strength somewhat returned to the legs he hobbled towards the exit and peered out, seeing tainted Cornerian soldiers dead on the floor and against the wall. He walked over and retrieved a machine-gun, holding in with his right hand with the dagger in his left hand.

He breathed in deeply and exhaled, trying to relax, "Here I go…by myself…again."

--

The thundering roar of engines, marching feet, hedonistic laughter and whipping could be heard miles away as the massive line of Chaos reinforcements approaching the railway complex from the south. Traitor Marines marched in fours between armoured columns of Predators, Rhinos and Defilers with a large mass of cultists and daemonettes walking behind them. The sounds of whip came from Aspiring Champions that mingled in the crowd of cultists, whipping away at their minions to make sure they move faster and in time to spill more blood in the name of the Chaos God of Pleasure.

"Move it you lazy sons and daughters of whores!" the Aspiring Champion shouted out loud, gripping his whip tightly, "Fur, human and daemonette alike! Slaanesh demands their souls!"

He pushed through the crows and climbed up top of a Predator, pulling out his magnoculars and zooming in over half-a-mile, seeing the walls of the southern-sector of the complex. The hundreds of Imperial Guardsmen and Cornerian troopers stationed there at their lasguns, plasma guns, bolter and lascannon emplacements locked in the enemies direction.

He smirked, 'They stand no chance against the likes of us. We just need to shell the wall, send the meatshields in with me and my Brothers following close behind with the armour at our backs and the loyalist scum will soon be begging for quick, merciful death. Oh, Slaanesh has blessed this day.'

Artillery shells suddenly landed on the columns, sending cultists and Marines flying everywhere, causing many others to scatter and seek protection behind their vehicles. They briefly saw Valkyrie and Imperial heavy transports ascend into the atmosphere to the west of their position, then their targeters and sensors went off the scale as they picked up 2nd Battalion approaching them. The Baneblade and Leman Russ' leading the thousands of Guardsmen that have finally joined the battle.

"Slaanesh damn them!" the Aspiring Champion growled, "A trap…tis' a trap…!"

He didn't have time to argue when more artillery, Imperial Earthshaker rounds and Cornerian plasma, descended upon them from behind the walls of the rail complex. The Aspiring Champion grimaced and leapt down from the Landmaster, weapons in hand. He then looked up to the sky and cried out in a loud, desperate, pleasing voice.

"SLAANESH! SAVE US!"

As a response a pinkish circle burnt itself into the ground around the Emperor's Children column and pinkish energy spurted upwards, where all artillery and tank shots were absorbed into the shield. One of the officers leading the 2nd Battalion raised his magnocular as he struck his head out the porthole from his Leman Russ.

"Cursed Dark God! I didn't think he'd lend his hand into this battle personally."

When the shield disappeared in revealed a thousand more Daemonettes ready to join the battle, ready to charge both the 2nd Battalion and the rail complex. One shrill feminine cry later the Emperor's Children reinforcements split themselves up, with one group charging the rail complex the other attacking 2nd Battalion.

The Guardsmen of 2nd Battalion, spurred on by their Commissars and Priests, charged ahead of the tanks, fingers on the triggers of their lasguns and assorted heavy weapons including plasma rifles and meltaguns. One of the Commissars present, a bald-headed large man with his prayer book on his equipment belt, was armed with a powerfist and a power sword – A Close-Combat Commissar.

The daemonettes of Slaanesh were the first to charge 2nd Battalion, and though most of the Imperial weapons were unsanctified and generally not suited for battle against daemons the Chaos minions found themselves getting worn down instantly. When they were range they hurled themselves at the Imperial Guard. The Commissar swung his powerfist and decimated the head of a daemonette, then swung his power sword and cleaved another vertically in half.

The defenders on the complex outer wall, Cornerian and Imperial alike, opened fire on the approaching enemy forces. Blaster rifles and lasguns mixed with each as they felled the cultists, but the Slaanesh Marines were taking damage slowly and continued advancing, firing their bolters and sound blasters. The Chaos Predators and Defilers fired their autocannons and artillery, hitting the walls and splattering many defender, their remains falling on the pathways and roads below. Imperial Basilisk artillery moved to the centre of the administration district continued firing, pummelling the Chaos forces but not destroying them fast enough, allowing them to approach the walls.

Colonel O'Reilly was amongst the defenders on the walls, taking cover behind the parapets, blaster rifle in hand. He adjusted the cap he wore and called out, "I thought 2nd Battalion was gonna handle these guys! Where the hell are they?"

The avian parakeet soldier near him tapped his helmet-com and responded, "Enemy troops have divided. One half is engaging the Imperials, the other are hitting us, sir."

"Any word on…"

He stopped when the parapet was hit by a missile blast as he dropped onto his stomach along with the other Cornerian with him.

"Shit! Any word on Star Fox?"

"Sir! LOOK!"

Another soldier pointed up towards the sky and the clouds above the base. Sitting up, O'Reilly saw the Great Fox II slowly descending from the sky, and immediately the com-soldier's equipment present sprung to life as it intercepted the transmission from the Dreadnought-class cruiser.

This is ROB to ground team. Received instructions to descend planetside.

_Yeah, that's great ROB…_

"Lombardi," O'Reilly recognised the voice.

…we need to hit orbit right now. Fox is in trouble and we need to track him down.

That would be impossible as right now warp-emanations are scrambling tracking and most communication systems at the moment.

There is another way.

"Mortensen," O'Reilly identified the next voice. He tapped his earpiece com and spoke into his mouthpiece, "What are you playing at, Star Fox?"

_Colonel, _Krystal said, _We stand a better chance tracking down Fox if we scan for him in orbit. Calgar?_

Ill-advised, but it is worth a try? General Sturnn?We can use the air support right now. In case you haven't noticed…

_My thoughts mirror your own, General, _Jacques spoke up, _ROB, do you have any missiles equipped?_

Affirmative.

Launch two at the Chaos forces incoming.

Acknowledged.

The soldiers present were compelled to block their ears as the loud, thunderous sounds of the Great Fox II firing two large defensive missiles from it's ports which sailed over the base and over the walls towards the incoming Chaos force, striking both the charging mounted daemonettes and cultists and the Chaos Marines and mobile armour. Two large explosions later they were reduced to nothing save for ashes.

One of the Cornerian soldiers present smiled joyously and laughed, "KABOOOOM! BURN YOU TIN-CANNED SKINNY BASTARD!"

Another Cornerian soldier promptly slapped him over the head, then pointed his thumb towards the glaring Imperial Guardsmen present on the wall. The officer amongst them looked over the parapets to find the daemonettes having been vaporized and the approaching split Chaos forces at half-strength thanks to the Great Fox II's offensive tactic.

"Keep firing, you dogs!" the Cadian officer bellowed out loud, firing his laspistol and raising his powerfist into the air, "For Cadia! For the Emperor!"

--

The Great Fox II hovered near a high-rise office building where Jacques, Slippy and Krystal ran towards it, Falco and Katt already flying in their Arwings into it's hangar and docking within the carrier. As they approached the building they notice three Thunderhawk transport-gunships in the air as well as a Aquila Lander.

Jacques tapped his vox-earpiece, "Lord Macragge?"

_2__nd__ Battalion is about to rout the ostensible Chaos 'reinforcements, Mortensen, _Calgar said, _We and our Brothers must now track down and eradicate the true source of the taint here on MacBeth. 1__st__ Battalion will stay here to secure the complex._

"Do you have any idea where they could be?" Jacque asked again.

_We were hoping you could find out, _Tigerius said, _Methinks you are more capable of reaching out to your brother, and not attract the attention of Slaanesh's champion._

"And who is that?"

Lucius the Eternal himself walks on the surface of this hollow world.

Jacques felt his muscles stiffen when he heard the title of the Captain of the 12th Company of the Emperor's Children Traitor Legion. The Champion of Slaanesh – it is said he has never been beaten in battle, that every time he is killed his killer becomes his successor. But the Astartes knew the truth, that every time Lucius is killed his soul takes over his killer's body and corrupts it until it takes his form. The now possessed Marine's soul would be added to all the other souls that are embedded screaming into his corrupted artificer armor.

"The 'Eternal'?" Slippy queried, rubbing the side of his head, which still ached like hell and the grubby bandage around his wound irritated it immensely, "Another title? Sounds dangerous."

_Believe us when we say it is,_ Cassius added, _The moment you seek out McCloud, that is when we will know where Lucius stands. And we will deliver judgement on his heathen head._

Krystal looked maddened when she heard Cassius' voice again, but she calmed down and her eyes lit up when she remembered what Tigerius said and how he referred to Fox as Jacques' brother, which sounded very unbecoming of a Space Marine, or an Imperial human for that matter. She looked over at Jacques, and immediately remembered her last conversation with La'Jakob concerning Jacques and Fox:

They share the same eyes.

She smiled to herself, 'It's one-in-a-million, really, that those two have the same eye color and treat each other like brothers. Maybe the Space Marines have finally realized this.'

"Mortensen! Star Fox!"

All eyes concentrated on the approaching band of Tau Pathfinders led by the human convert in the trenchcoat. La'Jakob smiled and nodded his head towards Krystal, who smiled back softly, and addressed those before him in a disciplined, emotionless manner.

"We have orders from our Fire Commander to accompany you on your mission."

Jacques looked at him curiously, "You overhead our vox-lines?"

La'Jakob shrugged, "It was not difficult to adjust and tap into your frequency. Where Fox McCloud is held, surely the remaining Chaos forces will be. For the Fire Caste it will count as a recon mission."

Jacques looked over at Krystal and Slippy, Slippy raising his eyebrows, smiling and nodding in agreement.

"It will," Jacques said with no apparent emotion, "Let us proceed."

La'Jakob eyed Jacques wearily, before he and the Pathfinders stepped into the building past them and headed straight for the elevator which would take them to the roof and to the Great Fox II. Slippy looked at Jacques oddly, having seen the exchange between both humans. To him, it was as if they were weary of each other in a somewhat defensive way.

--

Wolf marched down the bloodied hallway with Panther and Leon at his left and right sides, bayonet-attached heavy blaster in his left hand, Panther armed with a blaster rifle and Leon with a salvaged boltpistol. The lupine didn't look at all pleased at the sight of the Imperial/Chaos-produced projectile weapon.

"Did you have to pick that up from the first dead skinny we came across?" Wolf asked.

Before Leon could retorted snidely wild laughing could be heard ahead of them and right behind them. Suddenly a group of three cultists ran around the sharp turn into the hallway, knives bared. Leon smirked and raised his boltpistol, firing two shots, shattering the skulls of two of the cultists, leaving the last one to lunge at Wolf with his knife.

As Leon and Panther stepped aside Wolf swerved his head to the left to avoid the strike, before bring his left foot back then projecting it forward towards the cultist's crutch, kicking him right there and sending a burst of wild, unimaginable pain that drove the cultists to a sensual, laughing fit. Wolf then grabbed the cultist by the shoulders…

"HRRRRAAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!"

…and with a cry of might he performed a vertical suplex on the cultists, the Slaanesh loyalist painfully landing on his back behind the group. After Wolf stood back upright he pulled his blaster back out and spun around, firing a blue bolt of heavy blaster fire into the cultist's chest, finishing him off. Gunfire could be heard from behind them down the hallway, following by hedonistic laughing and screaming.

"I take it McCloud's right behind us," Panther stated, the lamented, "Pity."

Wolf smirked, "And that's our cue to keep moving. The hanger's just ahead!"

Fox stepped into the same hallway just as Star Wolf left headed and made a beeline towards the hangar situated in the mountain base. He looked down to see one of the cultists still hanging onto his foot despite having been disembowelled by Fox's knife. He pulled his foot out of the cultist's grasp and ran, deciding to leave the cultist to his fate.

As he ran, he bent over to pick up a fallen blaster rifle and took a left through a door titled 'Maintenance'. He was greeted by an even tighter corridor with pipes running through and, still running, navigated through the passage, jumped and leapt through the tight spots between the steam and water pipes. Another minute of this frenzied rushing later he kicked open the door leading onto the hangar's balcony.

He looked down to see Wolf, Leon and Panther blasting their way through on the ground floor, continually assaulted by cultists both taking cover or rushing with their knives, the latter gunned down quicker. Wolf stretched out his left palm and snapped his fingers, the Wolfen beeping and immediately opened it's canopy, allowing the lupine to jump in and strap down. Leon and Panther followed suit.

Seeing this as his chance he leapt down from the balcony landed on the hangar floor below, immediately dodging las-blasts from more charging, laughing cultists. Wolf looked over his shoulder and didn't look surprise to find Fox there behind him. Wolf fired up the plasma drive in his Wolfen, immediately feeling a bump and looking to the side, seeing Fox squatting on his wing, firing his machine-gun off screen.

Wolf then smirked, "Guess we won't be leaving him behind anytime soon, eh?"

_And __you__ won't be picking our next hiding spot anytime soon, _Panther quipped, earning him a light growl from Wolf, _Respectively, of course._

Fox banged on the canopy glass as las-blasts struck the Wolfen. Wolf shifted gears and the Wolfens took off, tearing down the hangar and out of the mountain. Fox hung on as tight as he can, the sudden rush of air causing his fur to stick up on end. He clenched his eyes tightly as he thought about his two most precious people as a way of thwarting the discomfort of the g-forces around him.

'Krystal, Jacques.'

--

La'Jakob whistled with approval as he and the Pathfinders followed close behind Jacques, Slippy and Krystal as they walked towards the bridge through the Great Fox II's main hallway. He hadn't had the chance to marvel at the Earth Caste's work in repairing the ship and right now he was feeling more than impressed.

When they stepped onto the bridge they found ROB, Falco and Katt already waiting for them, standing before the view-screen revealing orbit above MacBeth. One can clearly see the results of the space naval battle between the Coalition and Chaos fleets, namely wreckage of capital ships, fighter craft and floating bodies and/or body parts.

"I hope you noticed we were going into orbit once you stepped aboard," Falco quipped, "And also happened to notice we just lost contact with the ground forces back in the rail complex."

They checked their communicators which each registered nothing, with La'Jakob tapping his earpiece and receiving white noise. Krystal tapped her forehead and exhaled out her nose in a sigh.

"It must be the psychic emanations generating into the atmosphere," Krystal explained.

Katt slumped down onto a nearby chair near the holographic projector, "No prizes in guessing where. Communication equipment is useless, scanners are useless. Here's hoping…"

She gestured towards Jacques.

"…tin-man can use his all-powerful brain to pick out Fox from here."

Krystal growled lightly in response to Katt's choice of words in describing Jacques, before she noticed walking towards the left-hand corner of the bridge and lean against the wall. He crossed his arms and closed his eye as he put himself into deep concentration, with Krystal the only one in the room to sense his connection into the Warp. She looked at him sadly, hoping that his mind could take it.

"I hope he doesn't take too long," La'Tash said.

La'Jakob turned to him and the other Pathfinder, "I think we still have equipment and weaponry left over in the hangar bay. Why don't you load up?"

"Good idea," another Pathfinder said, "But what about you?"

La'Jakob looked over at Jacques, replying casually, "I will be right behind you."

The Pathfinders left the bridge, with La'Tash taking one, curious look at his friend before departing. Falco smirked and approached him.

"Congrats, Jakob," Falco said, "You are the second non-threatening human to have boarded the Great Fox."

As Krystal took a seat near Jacques, wanting to be near him in case something happened, she looked at La'Jakob warily, noticing him eyeballing Jacques as he faced Falco, his hands to his side clenching and unclenching. Jakob regarded Falco for a second, before walking toward Krystal, noticing her looking at him. Slippy and Katt watched silently…

'I don't like where this is going,' Slippy thought nervously.

La'Jakob cleared his throat, "Krystal."

Krystal smiled, "Jakob."

"Do you trust him?"

The vixen's smile faded, "Pardon?"

"Do you trust the Space Marine standing in the corner?"

Krystal looked at Jakob in disbelief, never expecting anyone to ask her that question, let alone another human acting antagonistic towards his kinsmen. She didn't know if she should feel offended that anyone could ever ask her that, especially in regards to Jacques, but she did now that it would best to clear this up with La'Jakob immediately.

"I trust him with my life," Krystal replied.

"You trust him?"

Krystal couldn't hold back her frown, "Yes, I do."

La'Jakob persisted with his questioning, "What has he done to earn your trust?"

Krystal was confused, 'Didn't we already talk about Jacques and give cause for Jakob to trust him? Why is he acting hostile towards him?'

She answered La'Jakob, "Besides everything I told you earlier, he saved my life. He is kind, empathetic, selfless and…unique."

La'Jakob looked at Krystal, eyebrows furrowed, "I suppose that gives cause for you to trust him? I must ask…

He addressed everyone present.

"Does _he_ trust all of _you_?"

Falco's eyes widened, "Whoa…no one's never brought that up."

Katt shrugged and bet Krystal to the explanation, "I guess if he wanted to kill us he'd have done it the moment he came to on board this crate, and if I know humanity he would have blurted out loud something zealous before trying to skewer everyone in sight, instead of stabbing them in the back."

Though angered by how Katt gave such a vivid description of an alternate Jacques, she couldn't deny the trut. If he were a true Imperial zealot he would have already torn her, Fox, Falco, Slippy and Peppy to pieces the second he awoke from self-induced stasis in the infirmary when he was brought aboard. Luckily he didn't, and that earned him the trust and friendship of Star Fox.

Out the corner of his eye Jakob noticed Jacques' left eye open and observing him quietly. Their eyes made contact for a second before he closed it again.

"Does he trust the Imperium?" Jakob asked again.

Slippy waved his wrist about in a absent manner, "Oh it varies. If they don't point their guns at us on sight I guess he can stand to be around them. Heh…it's funny when you think about…"

He smiled.

"They, what, spent the first few years of his life as a Marine trying to brainwash him into hating non-humans? Looks like that didn't work cause' he thinks non-humans are people just like hum, and just three months with us and he's willing to hurl himself between us and whoever we say are trying to kill us. Guess not many non-humans in the other galaxy actually try to get along with humanity."

La'Jakob snorted in disgust, causing Slippy to cringe.

"Oops…forgot about the blueskins."

"Tau!"

"Er…right, Tau."

"One last thing," Jakob continued, "Does he trust _me_?"

Krystal rubbed his arm, still not liking where this was going, "Well he seems comfortable with you being around me…NO!"

Krystal cried out when La'Jakob extended his wristblades and lunged at Jacques, aiming both blades for his head. Falco, Katt and Slippy immediately reached for their guns, albeit the frog being shaky with his laspistol, but kept their fingers off the trigger when Jakob's blades inched near his eyelids. Krystal had been completely startled to a standstill she didn't reach for her staff or her gun, but had watched all this unfold.

La'Jakob appeared smug when he realised that Jacques wasn't going to defend himself, knowing that the Tau-allied human wasn't going to attack him. La'Jakob straightened his back and stepped backwards away from Jacques, distending his wristblades and noticing three guns aimed at him. Krystal looked at him, still shocked, before looking over at Jacques and noticing him looking at her with an open left eye.

"It would appear this settles things," La'Jakob stated, straightening his trenchcoat, "If you will excuse me…"

He smiled over at Krystal, then at Falco, Katt and Slippy, who immediately shivered and thought La'Jakob was acting creepy. The young human then turned and left the bridge, leaving an atmosphere of confusion.

"What the fuck was that?" Falco demanded, "It's like he was expecting us to not shoot him, or Jacques to not rip his head off."

"He wasn't," Krystal explained, then looked down at her feet, "I didn't think he would try something like that to see if Jacques' trusted him or not."

"Fox!"

Jacques cried out loud and opened his eyes, uncrossing his arms and letting them hang at his side. All eyes turned to him.

"Jacques?" Krystal stepped up to him and grasped his left hand in anticipation, "Did you find him?"

"I could not determined where his exact location is, but I read his thoughts as his mind is now one with the warp," the Grey Knight explained, "It made mention of a Mount Twirlenkiller."

"The only elevated terrain on MacBeth," ROB buzzed in, "Formally a Cornerian Defence Force Space Fighter hanger. Possibility of use by enemy forces: 60 percent."

Falco slapped his hands together, "Best lead we got, eh?"

Jacques nodded and stepped towards the hologram projector and the front window, "ROB?"

"Online?"

"Take us to Mount Twirlenkiller," he pointed out the window towards the planet, "And make haste."

"Affirmative."

Visibly impressed by Jacques' actions, Falco teased, "Since when did you become Star Fox's leader? Didn't I receive the memo?"

Appearing down beat, the Grey Knight looked at the avian and stated, "It seemed right to take charge and advise direction…."

He paused, then quickly ruminated that they were about to plunge back into battle soon.

"…and I advise once again that we prepare ourselves to jump back into the fray."

Slippy nodded and felt his bandaged forehead, "Yeah, I better change this bandage. It smells like a Guardsmen spat in it."

"No!"

Slippy stopped abruptly, eyes widened and he slowly turned around, feeling disturbed by Jacques' heightened tone of voice, "W…what?"

Jacques crossed his arms, "You are in no condition to fight, Slippy Toad."

Slippy scowled, "You can't seriously ask me to sit this one out?"

"Y'know Slippy," Falco said, sounding serious, "People who fly out through their Arwing canopies usually want to take some time off picking the glass out of their wounds."

"I'm fine, really," Slippy pleaded, his brief bitterness disappearing, "Fox is in trouble…"

"And what would he say if he were here?" Jacques asked, "You, his childhood friend? And your fiancee?"

"Yeah, don't forget Amanda," Falco frowned, "I seriously don't wanna be the one to break the news to her if you croak…no pun intended by the way."

Slippy rubbed his forehead, feeling the pain sear between his eyes. He closed his eyes and nodded, dejected.

"You're right. I'm in no shape to go back down there," Slippy shrugged, "There's always another day."

Jacques smiled, "Too true."

"I'm just gonna go to the Infirmary. Thanks for setting me straight."

He stepped out of the bridge slowly, hunched over as if saddened immensely. Jacques turned to Falco, appearing coy.

Falco noticed Jacques looking at him with a small smile, "What?"

"Admirable concern, Lombardi. I do not see that much from you."

"Once in a blue moon," Falco replied, "Now, about Fox?"

--

Back on MacBeth's surface in the makeshift Imperial command post consisting of the tent and the communication vox equipment and sensors still being set up, Sturnn was once again before his officers around the square table. A floating servi-skull projected a holo-image of the rail complex, with Imperial eagle aquilas and Cornerian planet insignia's hovering above it, signalling it's control under the Coalition.

"You all have your orders," Sturnn said to them, then turned to a middle-aged brown-haired officer with purple eyes, "Colonel, you will keep this complex under Imperial domain, regardless of what happens to yourself and the 1st Battalion."

The officer nodded, "Yes my lord? What of the xenos?"

"Leave my men to me, colonel," the canine colonel O'Reilly responded as he stepped into the tent. He saluted the general, garnering a few glares from the other officers present, except for Sturnn and Plymouth.

Sturnn returned the salute, "You have guts walking into my command post, Cornerian. And your salute was very surprising."

O'Reilly appeared stern, "I figured I should be part of your little war gathering, and the salute was out of respect between the Cornerian Army and the Imperial Guard. I don't answer to you or your _henchmen_ in any given situation."

'Henchmen,' Plymouth thought annoyed, 'From him a term of disdain.'

"Since me and the whatever CDF are left and able-bodied aren't willing to go toe-to-toe against those pervs for a second time, we're more than happy to hold our position here. I'm just wondering if you are really planning to leave the thousands strong 1st Battalion here at the complex and not letting them reinforce 2nd Battalion."

Sturnn coughed to the side and replied, "2nd Battalion is reinforced enough with most of the Armoured Companies and can handle the remaining enemy forces on this planet. I'm sure both your troops and 1st Battalion can go the remaining hours of the days without attacking each other over…"

He snorted softly and blinked vigorously for a second.

"…irreconcilable differences."

"We'll survive, general," O'Reilly said.

O'Reilly then saluted Sturnn again, turned on his heels and left the tent, leaving a surprised Sturnn, one mildly amused Commissar and a several shocked and gawked faces amongst the Cadian officers present. When Sturnn turned back towards them around the table, they straightened themselves up, one officer coughing into his fist.

"As I said, you all have your orders," Sturnn said, "The Emperor Protects!"

"The Emperor Protects!" the officer responded.

--

Afterwards Sturnn and Plymouth accompanied by their Command and Commissariat squads stepped out of the tent and towards a clearing between the office buildings were the Aquila lander was stationed, and two naval armsmen carrying autoguns awaited them. They saluted the moment the Imperial officers were in sight-range.

The armsmen greeted them, "General Sturnn, this lander will take you to 2nd Battalion where you will be able to take command directly."

Sturnn nodded, "Thank you. Let's go."

Thunderhawk transports flew by overhead, carrying the Ultramarines that would join 2nd Battalion for the assault against the remaining Chaos forces on MacBeth. The Imperial officers stepped into the lander, the door closing behind them. It took off immediately and joined the Thunderhawks, leaving one platoon of Guardsmen that were watching nearby feeling sour.

Niel fastened his helmet back onto his head over his dirty blond hair as he sat back down with the rest of his platoon as they tended to their wounds and weaponry following the defence of the wall. He looked up as the lander took off into the air, then towards sergeant Armiel

"They're going to just leave us here with the xenos?"

"Worse," another Guardsman said as he loaded up his lasgun, "They're putting Colonel Haunterszlot in charge here."

Armiel snorted, "Pompous try-hard. First thing he's gonna do is make peace with the xenos! Probably bend over and kiss their asses one by one!"

Niel growled, " Those damn blueskins and furballs…"

He suddenly received an empty water canister to the back of the skull which sent him face first into the pavement. It was courtesy of a passing Cornerian canine trooper with his squad, them looking shocked at their comrades action then over at the Imperial platoon and Niel, who was both sore and angry.

The Cornerian trooper hatefully flipped Niel off with the two-fingered salute, "Hey, up yours…you blonde-headed racist ape!"

Niel picked up himself up and grabbed his lasgun, "Whose the damned crotch-licking fur who…?"

The Cornerian trooper stepped forward from his squad, pointing his right thumb at himself with a smirk, his left hand holding his machine-gun. Niel's eyes widened at seeing him step forward and claim responsibility, then he gripped his lasgun and aimed it at the Cornerian. Immediately the other troopers in the canine's squad aimed their blaster rifles at Niel, where the rest of the Guardsmen platoon save for Armiel and Vincent raised their lasguns towards the Cornerian.

Other Cornerian and Imperial nearby stopped what they were still to watch the stand off, faces of surprise, horror and anticipation going around. Armiel shook his head as he realised the futility of the situation and was about to order Niel to stand down when the blonde Guardsman called out.

"You got a lot of balls stepping forward, xeno," Niel called out, "Do you think we won't shoot you?"

The Cornerian laughed, "And you'll be tasting laser before I even hit the ground, courtesy of my pals. We don't like in when people march into our system and tell us…"

He now appeared sinister.

"…that we're gonna die for the glory of some corpse on a throne."

Another Guardsman called out angrily, "You take that back you arse-sniffing dog xeno!"

"He can't!" another Cornerian trooper spoke up smugly, "He already said it!"

Another Guardsman zealously screamed as he grabbed his lasgun and launched himself towards the Cornerian, bayonet fastened on the end of his barrel, "KILL THE FUCKING HERETICAL…"

The Guardsmen felt lead piece his leg and bring him down, falling flat on the ground before the Cornerians. They turned their weapons towards the Imperial colonel known as Haunterzlot, a smoking silver-plated twelve-bullet stubpistol in his hand. The startled Guardsmen watched silently as Haunterzlot walked forward, eyes narrowed in anger.

The xenophobic Guardsman who had lunged at the Cornerian looked at the colonel as he spoke to him, "You dare threaten the lives of every Imperial man on this world by attempting something this foolish?"

The obviously fanatical Guardsmen hissed out loud, "You xeno-loving…"

He couldn't finish his insult as the colonel fired into the Guardman's head, killing him and leaving his corpse with a look of horror upon his features. Haunterzlot looked towards the Guardsmen platoon, specifically lieutenant Zakhaev.

"I would advise you and your men to keep your distance from the xeno, if you last the day in their presence."

O'Reilly joined in, adjusting his utility belt as he stepped forward, "That goes for you guys as well…"

He addressed the Cornerians.

"…I'm not fond of summary executions, but I think I can stand learning a thing or two from the Imperials when it comes maintaining certain fragile alliances."

He looked over at the dead Guardsman's corpse, where if he allowed himself he would both feel pity and disgust. Pity for the fact that to humanity a single life is irrelevant, and disgust that a single human life wouldn't hesitate to throw it away. But he felt nothing for the dead Guardsman and nothing for humanity in general. Only he, the men under his command and Lylat were of concern to him.

He turned to Hunterzlotte and pointed at the corpse, "You gonna clean that up, Imperial?"

--

On the cold metal ground and sitting up against the Wolfen, clinched his mouth shut in a effort to stop his teeth chattering as the cool winds of MacBeth breezed past him, causing his fur to stand on end. He hugged himself in an effort to keep warm, until Wolf came back out of the storage room and tossed him Cornerian Army fatigues and body armour.

"I suggest you put that on, Fox," Wolf suggested, "I hate the sound of chattering teeth."

Fox grabbed the clothing and briefly eyed Wolf wearily before putting them on. As he did he said, "I'd ask why you're here…"

"Don't get sarcastic, pup!" Wolf snarled, the volume and pitch startling Fox, "Doesn't make you tough and sure as hell doesn't hide the fact you're afraid of those daemons. We all are."

He lowered his head and shook it soberly.

"Didn't think those human maniacs existed, only in that stupid human religion," Wolf continued, "War against Chaos? Thought it was a metaphor for humanity against itself."

"In a way it is," Fox said, clipping on the armour vest over his fatigues. After straightening himself up he looked around, unfamiliar where they were, "Where are we? I closed my eyes the whole time we were in the air?"

"An abandoned storage base not far from Twirlenkiller," Panther answered, polishing his combat knife with a cloth and polishing solution, "The whole planet's peppered with them, and the freaks are deploying their cult groups and traitor Cornerians to secure them…."

"Except this one," Leon said, "If I must say, the marginally good gods really do love us if Chaos hasn't touched this bit of fortification."

Fox rubbed his neck, hearing the bones crack slightly and painfully, "I didn't know you were religious, Leon. Could explain why you're a sadist."

"Now…that's cold," Wolf remarked, "Anyway, now that you're ready to start doing something really useful, here's how I see it all planned out…"

He sat down on the cold, steel ground cross-legged with arms crossed, appearing pensive and in deep thought. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, drawing the confused attention of Panther, Leon and Fox. A minutes later he opened his eyes and smiled.

"The way I see it, the Imperium are going to come rolling past here in a few minutes. The remaining Chaos forces are good as screwed, but they're going to take as many of those purebred skinnies down with them as they can. And somehow I get the feeling they're going to bring out something bad…some form of trump card to make life hard for us from here on out."

They felt the ground rumble and heard the radars built into the flight controls of their Wolfen beep erratically and loudly. Fox ran towards the nearest wall and quickly scaled it, looking over the parapet to see the Imperial machines of war rumbling across the empty plains, with aircraft consisting of Lightning's and Marauder bombers in the sky. He looked over into the distance to catch a glimpse of their destination – Mount Twirlenkiller.

Fox smiled as he climbed down. He loudly stated, "We're definitely going to win this one."

"_We_, Fox?" Wolf asked as the vulpine turned around to face him, "You meant to say _they_. They'll chalk this as a human victory, and Lylatian involvement will end up being marginalised pathetically to just 'outside assistance by xenos'."

Wolf's annoyed tone of voice struck Fox hard. The vulpine demanded roughly, "Who cares? So long as Chaos is defeated…"

He didn't see Wolf move like lightning and strike him across the head, knocking him down and rendering him unconsciousness. Wolf grimaced as he massaged left with his right hand as he worked to get the discomfort out. After blowing on his fist followed by kissing it, he scowled down at Fox.

"Lylat _should_ care, ignorant pup," he growled, "This is _our_ system. _We _defend it. _They're _the aliens here."

He then turned to Leon and Panther, appearing surprised he should lose his temper like this.

"C'mon!" he exclaimed, "We're making our mark on this battle."

"Too bad…I was looking forward to seeing my vixen again," Panther lamented

As Wolf climbed into the Wolfen's cockpit he said, "Don't worry, there's hope for that yet."

Star Wolf fired up their plasma engines and took off from the yard within the walled storage facility, leaving an unconscious Fox lying on the metal ground with a bump on his head. He stirred slightly and moaned, oblivious to the ethereal presence walking towards him, having watched the vicious exchange between the vulpine and the lupine from behind a camo-field.

"Lupines. They have always seen themselves as superior to the beast people that inhabit the edge of this new galaxy. Though his words hold merit, the Imperium threaten this system as much as the False Gods does."

In Taldeer's bloodstained hands she held the Eden sword. She stood over Fox, gazing down at him empathically, then at the longsword with curiosity.

"I sense something…different about the blade I carry in my hands," she spoke to the unconscious Fox, "It is Imperial forged, yet the only hands to have ever held it were not mon'keigh, and very delicate hands."

She looked down at Fox as she held Eden so that the point touched the metal ground.

"I have seen how you and your ilk battle the Great Enemy. You display ferocious zeal when you take the blade and the gun to the daemon, and display utter loyalty to yourselves and to everything you hold dear," Taldeer continued, "The Archon was wise to trust this sword to you, for if he did not he would have taken it from you the moment he recovered."

From behind her helm she rolled her eyes up towards the grey sky.

"I have seen how you two fight alongside the kemono and the mon'keigh, which did not call from much assistance from the Craftworld. Perhaps coming here was a mistake on our part, since you clearly need no intervention from us."

She then paused to reflect.

"But the future…is still uncertain. For now we shall remain, hidden in the shadows…until the time comes for us to truly intervene."

She then bent and knelt beside Fox. She placed Eden in his hands, before reaching towards her helm and removing it, placing it to the side. Fox stirred, as if reacting to her elfen face being revealed on MacBeth's surface.

She placed her hand over Fox's left paw, which held Eden, "I leave Eden in your hands…"

Taldeer then bent over and kissed him on the forehead, smiling warm as if she were a mother, and the vulpine her son.

"…and I give you my blessing to continue the fight, McCloud of Lylat."

Putting her helm back over her head she walked back into the storage base and disappeared in a flash of eldritch power, leaving Fox still lying there unconscious, and with a quaint smile on his face.

"Krystal?" he mumbled, "Was…that you?"

--

Sturnn and his squad were greeted with salutes as they stepped out of the Aquila lander. To his surprise officers not only greeted them but a small group of Techpriests of the Adeptus Mechanicus, accompanied by a Lexmechanic.

"General Sturnn," the Lexmechanic's voice rattled through his vox-synthesiser, "We bring good tidings towards you. With the Machine Spirit's permission we adjusted the Baneblade enough so that you and your staff can ride atop it and witness yet another victory for the Omnissiah."

Sturnn noticed the observation platform built on top of the 2nd Battalion Baneblade and nodded, "That is much appreciated, Techpriests."

The ground rumbled from the vibrations as the Thunderhawks sailed over 2nd Battalion and towards the distance, carrying Calgar and his Space Marines as Tigerius tapped into the Warp to seek out Fox's location. Sitting between two Tacticals he opened his eyes and exhaled painfully, tapping into the Warp always giving him blistering head pains which took the pain reducers half a minute to counteract.

"Mortensen has sought his location as well," Tigerius said, "But he has yet to know that the remaining Chaos forces on this world are now on the march toward out position."

"My Lord!" the Thunderhawk pilot exclaimed, "We have incoming! Above us, multiple targets!"

Chaos Claw fighters descended from the clouds in an attempt to swarm the mostly atmospheric transports. Their pilots engaged evasive maneuvers and avoided them as best they could, dodging las, cannon and missile fire while returning fire also as best they could with. One Thunderhawk sustained massive damage before the Claws found themselves getting shot down by three speeding Wolfens that had been following the Claws.

The Claws broke off their swarm formation around the Thunderhawk and instead tried to attack the Wolfens, but the superior design of the Lylatian fighters compared to the thousands-year old Chaos space fighters proved too much, and were each destroyed. Two Claws played chicken with one Wolfen, who fired it's plasma cannons and obliterated them, flying through the ensuring explosion unscathed.

--

As the Great Fox II descended back down towards the planet, just passing through it's atmosphere and immediately regaining function of it's communication and radar systems…

"WARNING!" ROB squealed as he frantically typed away at the console near the holo-projected, "Three Wolfen-class starfighters detected."

"Aw, great!" Falco exclaimed, "Star Wolf. They survived the Aparoids after all?"

Jacques appeared surprised, then turned to Krystal and inquired confusedly, "Star Wolf?"

Krystal felt surprised as well, then remembered that the existence of Wolf O'Donnell, Leon Powalksi and Panther Caruso had never been divulged to him, not even during time of peace during his three-month tour with Star Fox.

"A rival mercenary group," Krystal replied, "We crossed paths with them before, once they worked with Venom during the Lylat Wars. Andrew Oikonny was a member…"

"Venom? Oikonny?" Jacques gnashed his teeth and growled, remembering the majority of the enemy he had personally eviscerated last year, especially their so-called Emperor he gutted on the daemon world he had found himself, "They served the Chaos-sympathizers?"

"Only when they could pay them," Falco said, sensing where Jacques' reactions were leading them, "Don't get yourself worked up with them."

Falco? Heh heh…nice to hear your voice again, feathers.

The avian suddenly shuddered when he heard Leon's voice over the com, closing his eyes tightly and waving his hands around in a 'calm-yourself-down' motion.

"Leon," Falco replied, "You still alive?"

_We're __**all**__ still alive,_ Wolf said, _I appreciate your concern._

Krystal eyes widened slightly, "Wolf? Where have you all been since this all begun?"

Biding our time, sweet Krystal, Panther purred, Patiently anticipating the day when you and I will finally be reunited.

Jacques narrowed his eyes in displeasure when he heard Panther's direct his flirtatious tone towards the vixen. Jacques stepped up to the console and pushed down on the com button heard, and everyone present heard him growl throatily, causing Krystal's cheeks to burn slightly. Heaven help Panther should he made any advances towards her if he was around.

_Er…did I just offend someone there?_ Panther asked.

"….."

Hey, since Fox is lying unconscious in some storage base near Twirlenkiller, whose holding the fort-of-a-space-junk?

The Grey Knight sounded direct and authoritative when he replied, "That would be me, Star Wolf."

--

'Shit, it's him,' Wolf thought, appearing frightened, 'It's definitely him. He does sounds like McCloud, only more…Gothic.'

And who the hell are you supposed to be? Leon asked.

Brother Jacques Mortensen, Ultramarines 2nd Company. I have assumed temporary leadership over Star Fox. Are you here to cause conflict, or to help us?

"Depends on what you perceive as help, Imperial," Wolf replied coolly, "Want us to get out of your way? Serve as target practice? Verify something in the interests of both of our nations…"

**That** will do, Jacques interrupted, This storage base? It is near Twirlenkiller?

From the Thunderhawk carrying the Ultramarine Command Squad and the very heart of the Chapter, Calgar, Cassius and Tigerius recognized the voice over the vox lines and immediately scowled, openly displaying his disdain and intolerance for the lupine whose voice filled the interior of the Thunderhawk passenger cabin.

"O'Donnell!" he exclaimed, "Wolf O'Donnell?"

_Huh? Oh…is that you, Lord Macragge?  
_

Wolf suddenly sounded upbeat when Calgar spoke up disdainfully.

Heh, how long as it been Calgar? Never thought I'd hear from you again since…well…the Evergreen Purge?

"I would not advise you to sound so jovial with this reunion, lupine!" Calgar growled, "You betrayed my misplaced trust when employed you for one simple assignment."

Yeah, well…I thought you'd reassure McCloud that he was going to die painlessly then that would've made things hell of a lot easier, Wolf said, starting to sound disgusted, You should have smothered that little Inquisitorial science project the moment he was squeezed out! Why he was so damn concerned with little Davy I'll never know

He then paused, allowing a frowning Calgar to take all that in. For the Chapter-Master, that wasn't the noblest thing he had tried to accomplish for the sake of the Ultramarines, not in the least Jacques, but in his eyes it would have been best.

His realised that the vox lines were still interloped with the Great Fox's own com, and that everyone on board had been listening in.

'Damnation to Hell!' he thought bitterly, before hissing, "You damnable lupine! How do you know these things?"

Beat someone for an hour and he'll spill the beans on anything. But hey, don't worry…he's dead now. Andross finished the job for us. He won't want to have another reunion with David again.

--

"No!" Peppy exclaimed, jumping up from his chair in the command centre back on Venom and startling his aides and technicians present, "O'Donnell, you fool!"

--

And everyone on board the Great Fox felt speechless. Jacques for one, hearing Wolf identify him by his old name and openly threaten his life.

"What…the hell…?" Jacques mumbled, forgoing his usual etiquette when it comes to dialogue.

Falco, Katt and Krystal looked at Jacques, the words 'inquisitorial', 'science' and 'project' as well as the name 'David' and 'McCloud' ringing in their ears.

"McCloud? Since the McCloud we know is still alive, what's his dad got to do with helmet-head?" Katt blurted out.

Krystal saw Jacques' look of honest confusion and could sense it radiating off him.

"Inquisitorial, eh?" Falco scowled towards the com equipment, then at Jacques, "Anything else you're not telling us, Jacques…if that's your real name?"

"I…" Jacques stammered, "That is the first I have heard of my being connected to the Inquisition?"

Heh, Other then blowing up your planet? Wolf snickered, You sure you've been honest with the little freak, Calgar?

Jacques, we shall send a Thunderhawk to retrieve McCloud Do not worry about him, Calgar said reassuringly, then added with a bit of tempo, And do not listen to anything the lupine has to say.

"What?" Jacques muttered quietly enough so that no one could hear.

The coms all switched off, leaving dumbfounded faces and silence on the bridge. For the first time in his life Jacques was standing there staring at the holo-projector with his arms hanging limp at his sides as well as his head, eyes tracing the floor at his feet. Everyone looked at him and had different opinions towards him at that moment.

"Jacques…David," Falco frowned, "Anything else you feel like admitting now we're in a life, and soul, threatening situation?"

His eyes widened when Jacques looked over at him and glared, causing shivers to crawl underneath Falco's skin. Krystal looked on worriedly, with more concern for Jacques than for the avian that just challenged him.

"Do not try my patience and tolerance for your tongue, Lombardi!" Jacques exclaimed, "We must now rejoin the battle on the ground. I would appreciate you and Monroe to get back into the air and cover our forces."

"We can do that," Katt said, then grabbed a frozen, startled Falco and dragged him towards the door, "C'mon, beaks."

They exited the bridge, leaving Jacques and Krystal there alone together. Jacques exhaled painfully out his nose.

"Krys?"

Krystal walked up to him, swallowing softly as she said, concerned, "Jacques?"

"What…do you make of we just overheard from the Lord Macragge?" Jacques asked, sounding absent-minded, "He mentioned Fox's father…how he tried to kill him, and he's connected with me somehow."

Krystal looked away, feeling ashamed for not being able to answer, "I don't know."

--

"Here we go again!"

Falco held the flight controls tightly as he and Katt were slingshoted out of the Arwing, immediately descending out of the atmosphere and sailing over the marching Imperial Guard and their attached Armoured Companies.

"Anyone done there…" Falco said into the com, "Any additional air support available?"

Currently refuelling at the moment, xeno.

"Hey, Admiral!" Falco smirked, "Hope you're in a better mood."

As good as it can get, Nero hissed, You should not worry too much about defending all ground forces from here on end, since you mercenaries have handled far greater odds before.

"I'm blushing, really," Falco said, "Out."

Back in the hangar Jacques and Krystal stood alongside the Tau Pathfinders, each one with weapons loaded and charged. Krystal tried to not make any eye contact with La'Jakob, still feeling steamed over his mock attempt on Jacques' life. The gue'la realised this, but still appeared stoic as he mentally fixated himself on the upcoming battle, which hopefully would be his last for the day.

"Krystal."

The vixen looked over at her friend, looking sternly at her.

"Do not try to avoid him," Jacques said, "It will do none of us any good."

She tried to protest, "But…"

"I know he would not try to hurt me…"

They were interrupted by ROB over the PA.

Great Fox II touching down behind the Imperial lines.

Jacques slapped his last fresh magazine in his storm bolter and drew Nemesis. The Pathfinder gripped their carbines and rail rifles tightly to their chests, La'Jakob twirled his SMGs in his hands then held them to his sides.

Hey Jakob, Slippy said over the PA, FYI, I don't think there anywhere down there you can provide sniper cover for the entire Imperial Guard.

"I'm aware," La'Jakob replied, smiling, "I am going down there by myself, my comrades will provide cover fire from the Great Fox, that is if you do not plan to ascend back into space following our drop."

"No, it will not," Jacques said, "ROB, Slippy…keep the ship just above the surface and the hangar doors open."

Affirmative.

Uh…you think that's a good idea?

"Believe me when I say I am not sure at the moment," Jacques admitted, "Any objections?"

He was met with silence all around him.

Krystal smiled, "I guess we're standing right behind you, Jacques."

The Great Fox II descended just behind the Imperial Guards and was about a two feet from the ground when Krystal, Jacques and Jakob leapt out of the hangar and touched down, feet landing firmly on the ground, weapons primed. They then sprinted towards their allies, eager to join the battle with Falco and Katt in the air and the Great Fox hovering just behind them.

--

Fox groaned as he shakily picked himself up from the ground, leaning against the wall as he did so. He felt the back of his head, tracing his hand over the large bump that was now swelling. He breathed in painfully, the acrid smell of blood and burning flesh that now blanketed the entire planet seeping into his nose, making his stomach turn.

He gasped, before clutching his chest and vomiting again.

"Fuck!" he blurted out loud, "What's wrong with me?"

He felt the ground vibrate beneath his feet, followed by the sound of metal boots and tank treads traversing the plains. Making sure the disorientation that came from throwing up bile was past he scaled the wall again and looked over the parapet, seeing the remaining, yet massive, Slaanesh forces marching away from the Chaos base near Mount Twirlenkiller and into the distance.

"This…is very bad," Fox muttered to himself as he leapt down.

He turned around and cringed when a group of Black Legion Chaos Space Marines led by a Chaos Sorcerer stepped into the yard from the shadows, weapons drawn and staff in right hand brimming with eldritch power. The Sorcerer's helm was removed, revealing a bald, horned head and crimson eyes. The Chaos Marines trained aimed their bolters at the vulpine.

"Oh crap…"

The Sorcerer smirked, "It _is_ very bad. But only for you and your loyalist allies, that is."

Fox noticed the Sorcerer was missing his left hand. The Sorcerer frowned and flexed his left arm.

"Yes, the Eldar witch who gave you back your father's sword took it back from me," the Sorcerer growled, "And she made sure I would never touch that wretched blade ever again."

'What?' Fox thought, 'Did he just say…?'

Fox glared and gripped Eden tightly.

"How d'ya know my father?" Fox demanded angrily, fur standing on end, "You keep mentioning him as if you all knew him! What the hell…?"

The Sorcerer smirked, "Eden? Look at the bottom of the hilt, boy."

Still shaking with rage he looked at the bottom of the hilt and, sure enough, saw the Star Fox insignia engraved on it. The fact that it was there on an Imperial forged sword didn't leave his mind and was the major source of distraction for him throughout this battle. His ears perked up when the heavy sound of a boltgun firing drew his attention and a .75 calibre shell sailed towards him.

Before he even realised what he was doing he subconsciously raised Eden and swung, warp-driven power obliterating the shell and causing a mini-explosion before him. The Sorcerer gripped his staff and pointed it towards Fox…

"THE DORMANT VULPINE HAS FINALLY AWAKENED! KILL HIM!"

The Chaos Marines all opened fire at Fox, who growled and ducked, dodged and swerved – avoiding each of the rocket-propelled shells. Not hampered by the armour vest he wore he charged towards the enemy. He immediately sliced the barrel off the first Marine's boltgun before swinging and slicing his left leg off, felling him. He then brought his sword down and pierced the Marine's skull.

Feeling as if he was going berserk he charged and sliced the next Marine right in half despite his armour, Eden powered now with energy seeping out of Fox's hand. To the vulpine, it was as if he was no longer in control of himself, but that the sword was in control of him. It was his master, he was at it's mercy as he delivered red death upon the Chaos Marines.

"BY THE DARK GODS…ARGHH…McCLOUD!"

Fox didn't realise he was grinning as he rendered the head of another Marine, then converged on the last one, which despite the Marine's frenzied bolter firing and swordplay he was reduced to a limbless torso as the fast, wily kemono picked him apart. The vulpine then finished him off with a vertical bisection as he swung Eden downwards as he laid on the ground.

All this time the Sorcerer flung psychic doombolt spells at Fox, which were reflected by Eden's mere presence. And how he fought against his Marines disturbed.

"You are possessed by Khorne himself!" the Sorcerer exclaimed, "There is no other explanation! Not even James McCloud can fight like that!"

Fox turned over to him, his smile fading as he shook his head, "I _don't_ serve Chaos!"

He then faced him fully, both hands on Eden's hilt.

"And stop mentioning my father, goddamn you! YOU DON'T KNOW HIM!"

The Sorcerer raised his staff to deflect Fox's swing, but it was broken in half and left him at Fox's mercy. Not wasting time Fox drew Eden across the Sorcerer's chest, cutting through his armour and splattering flesh, black carapace and bone across the ground. The Sorcerer gasped and fell to his knees, then feeling the point of Eden against the side of his neck. The vulpine hesitated for a few seconds, then grimaced as he swung the blade and severed the top half of the Chaos Sorcerer's head. Fox watched as the Sorcerer gave a hiccup, but falling over dead.

An explosion tore through the wall leading into the storage base, allowing Emperor's Children Marines to move in and opened fire, Fox dodging the shells left and right. The roar of a transport's engines sounded off above as an Ultramarine Thunderhawk descended from the air towards the yard, immediately drawing fire towards it.

The Thunderhawk landed in the yard and opened it's side door. Ducking bolter shells he darted towards and jumped in, finding himself amidst a dozen Space Marines, one of which primed his heavy bolter out the transport door and fired at the cultists, mowing them down with little effort. The Thunderhawk took off and the door closed and locked.

Fox dropped the sword on the ground and sat up on his behind, running a paw over his sweat-soaked headfur as he panted, "Thanks for the save…uh?"

He was cut short when he felt a boltpistol pushed against the side of his head.

The sergeant grimaced as held the gun against Fox, "Think nothing of this, McCloud. It's for our protection."

Fox sighed, "How am I dangerous?"

"You are mutated with the psychic gene, vulpine," the sergeant explained, "The Chief Librarian has warned us of untrained, awaken psykers and how the minions of the False God can enter our reality through you."

"So this is finally it?"

"Only when Chaos decides to take you. We shall be ready when they do."

The Thunderhawk dodged enemy fire as it flew over the Slaaneshi horde approaching the Imperial army half-a-click away. From the rear Lucius smiled as he saw the Thunderhawk disappear into the horizon, aware of what sat in it and the dangers he posed to whomever stood by him. He then opened his mouth and bellowed…

"FORWARD MEN OF THE EMPEROR! WE FIGHT IN HIS NAME!"

…the Emperor's Children raised their fists into the air…

"FOR THE EMPEROR!"

--

The Imperial Guardsmen on the ground cleared away for the Thunderhawks to land and the Space Marine to disembark. Fox leapt out of his transport in a heartbeat, Eden in hand. He made his way towards the front of the army, pushing past Guardsmen while being watched from the top of the Baneblade by Sturnn through his magnoculars.

'Just how many of those kemono are both pilots and swordsmen?' the General thought, then reasoned, 'I'm sure Mortensen lent a hand in training that vulpine.'

"My lord!" the vox-caster exclaimed, "Chaos forces approaching our positions."

Sturnn looked up and adjusted his magnoculars so that he zoomed in on the enemy and noticing a pinkish shield over it. He frowned and turned to his Sanctioned Psyker.

"What is that? A psychic shield"

"Broadcasted by the…heh heh…Dark God of Pleasure, my lord," the Psyker responded, his words besides the cold aura around him making Sturnn shiver.

Explosions struck the side of the Baneblade as artillery round dotted all around the Imperial Guard, scattering men and equipment everywhere. Down below Jacques and Krystal huddled underneath her combined staff shield and his psychic shield. Jacques gritted his teeth as they both knelt, expanding the shield to engulf as many Guardsmen and Marines around them as possible.

"Fox?" Jacques said, "Fox is nearby. I can sense him."

Krystal rolled her eyes upwards as she reached out with her mind as well, "So can I. Where his he?"

Suddenly the Baneblade fired it's massive cannon at the daemonic shield, supported by the Leman Russ' at it's sides and the Basilisk artillery at the rear of the army. Gradually the combined Cadian firepower tore holes in the shield and expelled the daemonic influence, banishing it back into the Warp. The Guardsmen raised their lasguns and immediately trained them on the incoming horde of cultists, traitor Cornerians and daemonettes. The Kasrkin were the first to charge on ahead, hellguns blazing away and led by a seemingly maddened priest armed with a mace and a Imperial rosette pinned to his robes which ostensibly shielded him.

"ANOINT THEM WITH THEIR OWN BLOOD, MEN OF CADIA!" the Kasrkin Sergeant cried as he fired his laspistol and waved his power sword about.

The Ultramarines pushed their way past the Guardsmen as they joined the Kasrkins in the charge. Jacques held Nemesis to the side, ready to take out several with one swipe. He noticed that Fox and Krystal were beside him.

"Together again, eh _brother_?" Fox smirked as he feigned enthusiasm, then turned to Krystal sounding, and somewhat fatalistic as well as concerned, "You okay with this?"

Krystal nodded, before moving over to kiss him. She stated after she pulled back, "You _will_ survive this, Fox."

She then turned to Jacques, appearing stern.

"You as well, Jacques."

Jacques growled determinedly, "You can count on that, Your Highness."

"ONCE MORE WARRIORS OF ULTRAMAR," Calgar bellowed, calling for the charge to proceed onward, "FOR GUILLIMAN! FOR THE EMEPEOR!"

It was indeed a sight to behold as the Space Marines charged, bolters and special weaponry blazing. One cultist immediately tasted chainsword, severing the top half of his head off, while another four were cut down in a instant by Nemesis in the hands of Jacques. Fox parried off a daemonette and drove Eden through her chest, immediately dispelling it back to the Warp. Krystal lunged at another daemonette, driving her staff through it's forehead and listening to it squeal before disappearing in a flash of pink.

The Guardsmen exchanged las-fire with the hordes, their Kasrkin counterpart fingers still on the hellgun triggers, reducing enemy contacts to las-riddled soulless shells. The daemonettes resisted this laser bombardment until they were in contact with the Marines, who each drew their shortswords and engaged them. Krystal twirled her staff to avoid several slashing claws at one before, swing it and rendering three daemonic heads off at once.

La'Jakob swerved his head to avoid a plasma blast, SMGs firing wildly in his hands as he stood on the front lines, downing every cultist that ran in his direction with a blade in his or her hand. When one cultist got close enough to melee, Jakob extended his wrist blades and put them through her chest, then down her with a spiral kick to the face.

He was almost knocked down by a squad of Guardsmen who ran past him.

"Outta the way, xeno-lover!" one of them exclaimed.

La'Jakob shrugged it off and ran forward, jumping up upon that same bigoted Guardsmen back and propelling himself off him, where he sailed in the air for a few second before landing in front of the Guardsman squad, much to their amazement and chagrin. His SMGs were still blazing at the approaching enemy, showing up his Imperial cousins.

'Where is O'Shovah?' La'Jakob thought bitterly, 'He _should_ be here. Where has he disappeared to this time?'

Gradually the cultists and daemonic presence faded, partly because of the Warp-driven influence of Jacques and Krystal, which weakened their own daemonic aura. Fox was astounded when he believed he could sense their presence at the back of his mind without even knowing where they were on the battlefield. He was even more surprised when one of the daemonettes recoiled just before it was about to slash him, allowing him to swing Eden and slash it across the chest, 'killing' it.

The army proceeded forward as the artillery continued to land on top of them from the rear of the Chaos army. Krystal growled as she sensed Slaanesh itself behind the fading daemonic psychic shield and took off ahead, alarming Fox and Jacques.

"Krystal!" Fox exclaimed.

The two men looked at one another before chasing after her. Her actions didn't go unnoticed by the Command Squad perched on top of the Baneblade. Sturnn lowered his magnoculars and frowned.

"She certainly must be desperate to make Cerinina truly extinct," the Father Confessor Priest attached to the squad announced, "Foolish xeno."

"She is probably going after whoever is leading these heretics," Sturnn said, then ordered, "Continue forward!"

Krystal brought up a shield from her staff and stopped several dozen bolter shells from hitting her courtesy of the Chaos Havoc standing guard in the holes in the wall created by the Imperial artillery. When she got close she kneeled and swung her staff, knocking the Havoc squad off their feet. She then charged a ground quake and brought it down amidst them, shattering them backs and rendering them still and useless.

"FOR THE EMPEROR! FOR TERRA!"

The massive cannon blasts of the Baneblade and Leman Russ' coupled with the Basilisk artillery hit the Chaos shield, shattering it and consuming Chaos hordes in a massive whirlwind of fire. The Imperial infantry charged in and ran past Krystal.

"Krystal!"

Fox and Jacques caught up to her, the vulpine out of breath and feeling angry that she took off without them and willingly put herself in danger.

"Krystal what the hell…?"

"Shhh…"

Krystal hushed him as she closed her eyes and tried to feel the warp emanations in the air.

"He's here," Krystal said softly, which can barely be heard as the war raged on around them.

Jacques nodded and growled, "Lucius."

Suddenly Krystal darted off again, leaving Fox stunned as she ran from them again. However, Jacques was calm as he readied Nemesis for more bloodletting as he noticed the entire horde of Chaos Space Marines marching towards them. The Imperial Guard and Space Marine stepped back and got into a line that both armies now stood some distance from each other and faced one another down.

Calgar roared and the fighting recommenced immediately, storm bolter blazing away. Krystal was still running towards the enemy, shield up and thoughts of those she loved giving her strength. Instead of engaging the Chaos Marines in melee once she got close she instead leapt up and begun bounding off their heads amidst confused bolter fire and sword swings as she had only one person on her mind that stood at the back his remaining forces.

"CHARGE!"

The Chaos Marine turned back to see the Imperials charge, guns blazing and with it's heroes leading them. Fox was visibly upset as he saw Krystal disappear behind a sea of Chaos bodies and weaponry.

"Damn you, Krystal," Fox groaned, "Why are you putting yourself through this?"

Jacques growled once again, "This is not the time to lament, Fox. This is her fight as well!"

Fox growled, and in a sarcastic manner replied, "Whatever you say."

--

Throughout the battle the two Arwings kept the skies in Coalition control, shooting down any remaining Chaos Claw aircraft that tried to hover above the Imperial lines. Wherever the burning remains of the Chaos fighters fell on top of either the Imperials or Chaos forces they quickly darted away to allow them to land on empty ground, or anyone unlucky enough to stand his ground.

Once the skies were clear once and for all Falco and Katt put their Arwing in a nose dive towards the rear of the Chaos army, gunning towards the four Defiler walkers whose artillery continued to pound the Imperials. Falco and Katt glanced at one another through the canopies of the Arwings, Katt giving a suppressed smile, and they increased speed.

They charged their lasers as they dodged bolter, lassr and rocket fire, before unleashing their charged shots and destroying the cannons of the walkers, driving the daemons within them insane.

--

'This is my fight,' Krystal thought to herself as if reciting a litany, 'I will defeat my enemy. I will preserve myself. Not for my sake but for my children and all Cerinians yet to be.'

Lucius smiled he noticed the Cerinian vixen bounding towards him across the heads of his Chaos Marine, not concerned that the ones up front were being cut down. He readied his ornate daemonic weapons and prepared for face her, and to claim glory on behalf of Slaanesh and the Legion.

"We shall be the ones to sacrifice the last of the Cerinian," he stated out loud, "And for and only to Slaanesh."

A crazed Defiler bounded towards Krystal, knocking Chaos Marines out of the way and swinging it's metallic claws at her. Krystal bounded off the last Marine's head towards the Defiler and with a cry of might drove her staff through the helm on top of the walker and shattering it, sending the daemon back to the Warp.

Krystal then jumped on top of the disabled Defiler landed with feminine grace behind it, whom the rest of the Chaos Marines too busy fighting the Imperium to notice her now. She looked ahead to see Lucius standing there, with a smile on his face.

"Very graceful, Cerinian. I underestimated how powerful you vixen warriors really are."

"Lucius the Eternal, Champion of Slaanesh?"

"I am _he, _girl," Lucius replied, "And you: Krystal, Princess of Royal House Onyx of Cerinia. The last of your kind, are you not?"

"It interests you?"

"Immensely," Lucius stopped smiling and sounded serious, "I intend to personally eviscerate you before my patron God of Chaos, the sacrifice finally ending the menace of your wretched kind once and for all."

No amount of words can describe Krystal's contempt for the Chaos champion that stood some metres away from her, his power sabre red with the blood of his enemies and himself, fresh cuts adorning his face and around his sickening smile. He ran his long tongue across his lips and around them in a circular motion as he looked at her lustfully.

The vixen gripped his staff tightly as she and Lucius stared one another down, circling around each other. Krystal waited for him to make the first move, opting to defend. Lucius however sauntered confidently around his prey, revelling in the stress he was inflicting upon her. He drew his sabre across his forehead and sliced himself, the blood running down his face and into his mouth, which he proceeded to lick up.

Visibly disturbed by the madman, Krystal asked, "What are you doing?"

Ignoring her question, Lucius shook his head and frowned, "Slaanesh had such high hopes and expectations for you and the rest of your kind, princess. You were such beautiful creatures it did not take him long to seek you out millennia ago…"

His smile returned.

"…for it was your sensual artistry alone that called out to him, and for what you brand as Dark Cerinians begun to submit to his righteous ways of seeking pleasure in all forms. But for Cerinians, it was in one another's bodies and those of other species, particularly humanity."

Krystal bared her teeth and tightened her hold on the staff, and darkly inquired, "Is that all that Chaos thinks of me, as a sexual plaything?"

"Not just you, dear Krystal," Lucius continued, "Your entire species, and it was only Slaanesh who appreciated it as something truly beautiful. Khorne sees them as mindless blood letting barbarians, Tzeentch as uncouth spellcasters and Nurgle as disease-ridden furs. It was Slaanesh who did not take you for granted."

"For granted?" Krystal demanded, "Chaos itself wanted Cerinia completely, not just it's people."

"Wrong!" Lucius exclaimed, "It was Slaanesh who found you first, and desired you. His brothers demanded he would share after hearing of his grand discovery. The Cerinian ways of giving pleasure to one another had become legendary amongst the Pleasure cult circles – for a Cerinian vulpine to make his woman scream his name louder than anything else does. For a vixen to make her man worship her and for couples to spend days on end giving one another each other. Rest assure, it was all clean and near ceremony."

He paused, allowing it all to sink into Krystal's head, whose jaw was hanging slightly limp and relaxing her hold on her staff.

"Before the Prince of Excess it was all art…pure, fleshly art. And you cannot deny that, seeing how perfect you physically are."

Krystal shook her head and growled, "Whatever you want from me, you won't get it."

"If not you," Lucius raised his sabre above his head, "Then perhaps from your lover, or maybe your brother? If only they could read my thoughts about you, it would drive them insane with jealously!"

He raised the sabre high above his head now, as if in anticipation…

"And if not them…how about the xeno-lover in the trenchcoat?"

To Krystal that was the breaking point. She thought she heard something snap, not telling whether it was inside body or her mind, but whatever it was it sent her charging forward towards the Champion of Slaanesh, bellowing in an ancient tongue…

"RUJKUHT! 0EI NACC DEK CU0 U XUDT ED UD0 EV KXOM! DEK AD KXO LOH0 COUJK MO, FOHLOHKOT SHOUKIHO!"

Lucius brought his sabre down and Krystal gripped her staff with both hands raised it above her to block. With his other hand he cracked his whip and brought it towards her her, which Krystal leaned back and fell onto the ground onto her back to avoid, his saber nicking the tip of her nose. She winced in pain, feeling the hot blade scar her nose.

Fox and Jacques continued fighting their way after Krystal, waves of cultists jumping in their way and continuously being hacked down. Jacques looked ahead to see Krystal lying on the ground with Lucius standing above her. Fox panicked when he saw ahead amidst the burning remains of the Chaos base and charged ahead.

He was suddenly tackled by a Chaos Marine, knocking the wind right out of him as well as Eden out of his hand and bruising a couple of his ribs. Jacques came to his aid and engaged the Chaos Marine. Fox picked himself up…

"KRYSTAL!"

…and tried to advance, only to find himself in melee with another Chaos Marine armed with a whip. Suddenly his ribs ached badly and he felt himself out of breath, making him collapse onto his back, much to the Chaos Marine's delight as he raised his whip and prepared to strike Fox's already scarred chest. A storm bolter blazed at the Marine and blew his whip-hand off, causing the Marine to stagger back. Jacques then charged once again to Jacques rescue, running Nemesis through the Chaos Marine's chest.

He rolled over onto his chest to see Lucius looked over at him with a cruel leer, then down at Krystal.

"Now this is definitely a pity," Lucius hissed, pushing her foot down on her chest, much to Fox's horror, "A scarred Cerinian…that I have never seen before."

He then appeared disgusted, and proved it by spitting near Krystal's head. The acidic saliva burning into the ground.

"If you ask me, _it_ is repulsive. Who would want to look at you now, much less make use of you through the most carnal way possible?"

Krystal closed her eyes and felt tears well in her eyes, but not because of the scars on her face or that she bordered on death now, but the fact that all that Chaos thinks of her and her people is as something sexual, and that broke her heart. Lucius smirked even wider now, enough so that it stretched across his entire face, very grotesque.

Seeing Lucius bring her to the brink of tears was the last straw for Fox. Summoning what strength he had left he grabbed Eden and stood up, wiping the blood from his face and shrugging the purple robe from his body, exposing himself save for his boxers. A Chaos Raptor noticed him and charged, drawing Jacques' attention, with Fox appearing to be oblivious and just standing there, seething uncontrollably with literally blood in his eyes.

Before Jacques could cry out to warn him the Raptor brought his chainsword towards the vulpine, who ducked and swung Eden, relieving him of his sword hand then bringing Eden against the side of the Raptor's head, the psy-charged sword cleaving the skull in half. Baring his teeth now, Fox looked over the Chaos cultists and Marines standing between him and Krystal angrily, gripping Eden's hilt tightly that it cracked the skin on his hand and he begun to bleed.

With a shrill cry Fox charged the enemy, with Jacques quickly throwing himself into the fray as well, wanting to make sure his brother-in-arms didn't get himself killed or worse than fighting by himself. His fears were unfounded when the vulpine begun to hack away at the enemy like a man, or vulpine, possessed. His first opponent was a cultist, whom he killed instantly by stabbing through the chest. Another cultist lunged at him and he swung, cutting off his left leg and bringing him down at his feet, Fox finished him off with driving Eden into his back.

Jacques swatted away another cultist and parried with a Chaos Marine, eyes focused all the while on the vulpine whom Jacques can sense a lot of pain and hatred emitting from him as he went melee on his enemy. When he downed the Chaos Marine with a bolter blast to the head he was shocked at the sight of Fox. The vulpine was now smiling as he hacked away at the cultists attacking him, severing heads and limbs and blood splashing about like in a swimming gala.

Fox dove towards the nearest cultist, running him through the chest with Eden. The vulpine cultist immediately spewed blood, before doubling over as Fox pulled the sword out and drove it again through his neck to finish him off. Two Marines were next to attack them, one armed with a power sword, which connected with Eden.

Jacques moved to help and swung Nemesis, severing the Chaos Marine's hands off. He was attacked by the other Chaos Marine, which left Fox to finish off the 'unhanded' Marine by stabbing him through his second heart. Fox smile faded when he spun towards Jacques and how the other Chaos Marine raised his right hand, which held his boltpistol, towards the side of the Grey Knights. He struck again, hacking off his arm, before stepping back and hacking off his left hand.

Jacques then swung Nemesis and hacked the Chaos Marine's head off. As the body dropped Fox nodded towards them and smirked.

"That was close," Fox said.

Jacques gritted and looked yards ahead where Krystal faced Lucius and whom was currently lying pinned to the ground by his foot. Fox's eyes widened, before the two of them rushed towards them. Lucius looked up from Krystal and saw both Fox and Jacques approaching him. He frowned and lowered his sabre towards her.

"Not one step closer, loyalist scum!" he exclaimed, gnashing his teeth, "Or…"

Now waiting for the Champion of Slaanes to finish Jacques unleashed a psy-wave, which shoved Lucius off her and onto his back. As he struggled to get back up Krystal leapt back onto her feet and grabbed his staff, wiping her tears and assuming a battle stance as she sought to face him again. Fox and Jacques stepped to her sides, sword gleaming with the blood on them.

"I do not want to hear any more heretical garbage vomit out your mouth, Captain Lucius!" Jacques shouted.

Lucius smiled and drew his sabre across his forehead, cutting himself again as was his custom when about to launch into combat.

"Three more souls to absorb. Three more victims to spend an eternity writhing within the confines of my artificer armour."

Krystal shook her head and stepped forward ahead of the men, "No…"

She frowned.

"It'll only be one soul if I fail to defeat you."

"Krystal!" Fox shouted, "What are you…?"

As he tried to step forward as well Jacques held him back, alarming him.

'What the hell are _you_ doing? She needs our help,' he cried in his mind.

'No,' Jacques responded calmly, 'Let her fight. For all we know she could be the only to actually defeat the Soulthief, Fulgrim's Champion, the Scion of Chemos…whatever you may call him…'

He frowned.

'…he must die.'

Krystal noticed Jacques holding Fox back and was silently grateful. Lucius readied his sabre, cracking his whip behind him.

"Come at me, girl," Lucius licked his lips with anticipation, "You will be under my foot and at my mercy once again."

Krystal took off towards him, swinging her staff underarm towards him. He leaned backwards to avoid it and swung his whip towards her. She bent over backwards to avoid the whip, where Lucius swung his sabre. She frowned and leaned over to the right, dropping down to avoid the swing then cart-wheeling away from him, falling onto the ground in the process. She then aimed her staff and launched fire shots towards him, striking him in the chest and head. He growled in pain, charged at her and tried to stomp on her. She then brought up her staff's shield and knocked him back.

Fox and Jacques still watched, with the Grey Knight's hand on his shoulder, still holding him back.

'Why the hell is Jacques not doing anything?' he thought angrily, 'Why is he holding me back!'

'This is _her_ fight,' Jacques mentally said to him.

They heard cackling from behind them and they spun around to lock swords with more attacking Chaos Marines, allowing Krystal and Lucius to continue fighting without an audience. Artillery fell around them as the Imperials and Cornerians moved on the base on all directions. Calgar and his Honour Guards fought the remaining Chaos Marines close-combat, pounding them into the ground.

Fighting as hard as he can, Tigerius thought bitterly, 'I pray the Cerinian takes my advice and does not feel pride if she manages to defeat the Soulthief.'

Krystal overheard his thought and felt determined, not enthusiastic, as she fought against Lucius. They swung, parried, deflected…and wounded. Krystal received a whip slash across her left arm. She cried out loud and slashed his head with her staff, causing him to grimace in annoyance. She then quickly put the point of her staff onto her wound inflicted by the whip and quickly purified it, ridding it of the taint.

Taking advantage of her distraction Lucius charge at her, weapons primed. She quickly charged up a ground quake and directed it toward the Champion of Slaanesh. The resulting high-impact staff attack redirected towards the chest plate of Slaanesh it cracked open, revealing his chest and black carapace. Lucius, feeling the psychic blast cut through his pain-reducers and causing him to laugh out loud with the sensation of pure agony.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAA!"

Feeling disgusted with Lucius she drove the point of the staff through his chest, causing him to cut his laugh short and gasp for breath. After a few seconds of silence and no emotion he smiled again and looked deep into her eyes. Krystal screamed in agony and clenched her hands around her staff tighter as she felt her soul begin to get torn from her body and into Lucius armour. She screamed as she felt the spiritual fires of the Immaterium engulf and burn her.

Jacques and Fox heard her scream and tried to turn around to help her, but knowing if they turned their backs on the hordes of enemies at them they would be cut down with little effort. Krystal screamed again and Jacques immediately felt like he went around the bend.

"DAMNATION!" Jacques screamed in anguish, before unleashing a mind wave and sending dozens of enemies flying off him.

He then turned around and launched another psychic blast directed at Lucius, striking him upside the head. Krystal turned to the side and threw up bile; her stomach feeling like it was turned upside down as Lucius assaulted her mind and soul. She put her free hand over her mouth, eyes bulging with pain. She saw Jacques standing half-a-yard looking at her with sadness.

Appearing angered that Lucius could make even Jacques upset, she subconsciously drove her staff deeper into Lucius, emitting a cry of pain from him.

Lucius shook his head violently and screamed "No… NO! I AM IMMORTAL! THIS CAN NOT HAPPEN TO ME! BY THE GRACE OF SLAANESH, I AM IMMORTAL!"

Krystal turned to face him and narrowed her eyes as if with boredom as she drew more power from the Warp and focused more intensely as she worked to keep her soul intact. She pulled the staff out from his chest and swung again, creating a massive vertical slash down his armour form below his neck, tearing out bits of metal, black carapace and flesh. She felt no satisfaction at all from killing him, believing him to just be another Chaos-worshipping madman.

Lucius felt ten thousand years worth of stolen souls depart his armour as Krystal managed to reclaim her body. Though no one else not connected to the Warp could seem them, Krystal and Jacques saw thousands and thousands of freed souls ascend into the sky towards a better place away from the twisted Chaos Champion, who felt himself growing weaker as his immortality gave way. This left him a dry, powerless husk now standing weakly before the victorious Cerinian princess.

Lucius looked up at Krystal, the one to have finally bested him in battle, and whom he could not unnaturally claim as his next vessel. Not only because she was not human, felt no satisfaction from defeating him and used her own powers to ward him off herself, but because she was completely, and beautifully, pure.

"Im…impossible," Lucius whimpered, "The day…has finally come."

Krystal appeared plain as she asked, "Are you ready to go?"

Lucius smiled, "You can be satisfied now. I am unable to take you."

Krystal sighed, "No. I'm not satisfied. I didn't want to kill you Lucius. You or any other living being, Chaos worshipper or not."

Lucius smile faded and stared at her apprehensively as tears now streaked from Krystal's eyes as she fought to contain herself. Jacques watched soberly as she focused warp power into her staff and readied herself to strike the killing blow.

Jacques looked on, muttering softly, "Krystal…"

"I'll confess: I hate war, I hate killing, I hate taking life" Krystal continued as she wiped her nose with her free hand, her voice cracking under the pressure, "You people just don't understand how sacred it is, and I feel sorry for you. I hope where you go after this you will understand."

Lucius snorted with disgust, "I will find out soon enough. But now, I know for sure…"

He smiled his widest smile yet, revealing teeth and his tongue.

"…this experience _has_ changed you, Cerinian And though Slaanesh is disappointed it's not towards the sensual, surely one way or another you _will_ be corrupted."

Krystal swung her staff and immediately power cracked from it as it decapitated Lucius, blood immediately jetting upwards from his neck as the head sailed up into the air like a bloody comet, with the red fluid splashing on Krystal. His head fell back down to earth some feet away while the body fell over backwards with a loud crack.

The vixen sighed and she fell to her knees, her staff now distended in her hands. She wiped the sweat that was not soaked into her fur off her forehead, before shaking her head sadly and hiccupped a few times, hand shooting forward onto her mouth, startled. She almost jumped when she felt Fox's hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"Krystal."

She looked up at him, appearing emotionless and shocking Fox with her new scar on the tip of her nose.

"Fox," she said, "What did I just do?"

"You killed another Traitor Marine," Fox responded.

"A champion of the Dark Gods to be exact," Jacques added as he Calgar, Tigerius and Cassius came by.

Krystal didn't even notice of the Baneblade approaching her as she as Krystal stood up she said, "For a brief second, I thought I sensed regret."

"_Regret_, Cerinian?" Calgar asked curiously.

Krystal turned to the Chief Librarian, looking him in the eye, "He realised he was going to lose, and I thought I sensed regret in him."

Cassius smirked, "So he should, and if you had made him feel regret then we are obliged to thank you. All those who have betrayed the Emperor shall regret ever turning their back on him in the end."

General Sturnn and Plymouth climbed down the side of the Baneblade and approached the group.

"Well, that's one way of putting it," Sturnn stated with a smile, walking in to join the conversation, accompanied by the Regimental Commissar, "The Emperor's Children have been defeated, the Slaanesh cult groups have been eliminated, the planet is ours."

Plymouth thought irritated, 'Though with some outside assistance I can guess of what kind.'

Sturnn's thoughts mirrored the Regimental Commissar's, 'Eldar. I just know it. Where in God-Emperor's name are you, witch?'

Calgar was in thought as well. He raised his eyes up towards the sky bitterly.

'Damn you, O'Donnell! He is not suppose to know…ever.'

Jacques noticed Calgar and contemplated browsing into his mind to find out what he was hiding from him. He then noticed Tigerius staring at him and instead he sheathed his swords, "We must begin reinforcing this planet, to protect it from future attacks."

Two Arwings flew overhead, the sounds of the G-Diffuser plasma engines temporary drowning out the sound of distant gunfire as the remaining Slaanesh loyalists still holding out over the planet. Fox waved up at them as they circled around the group, Falco smiling down at them and giving them a quick salute.

_Hey, since that freak's lying on the ground and won't be getting up anytime in a millennium, mind if we land?_

"Go ahead, Falco," Fox replied.

_Touching down._

The two Arwings circled around one more time before touching down some feet away. The G-Diffusers powered down and their canopies open. With a slight groan Katt leapt out first and stretched herself, the bones in her back and arms cracking slightly, but not painfully. She was relieved to finally be out of that cockpit, as was Falco, whom she couldn't wait to be in his arms once again.

He opened her left eye to see the humans and the other members of Star Fox looking at her. She made a mental note to leap into Falco's arms in private.

"C'mon, beaky!" Katt exclaimed jovially, "Fresh air."

"Yeah, yeah…" Falco grumbled as he stretched his legs out of the canopy, "Here I come…"

He leapt off the Arwing, and the moment his left leg touched the ground first it came flying off him, with blood spurting out as a bolter round took it off below the knee and sent him falling flat on his chest, screaming in agony. Katt's eyes widened as some of the blood splattered onto her. She screamed as well, while everyone else present quickly reached for their weapons, except for Fox who stared in disbelief at his fallen comrade and closest friend.

"Falco!" he exclaimed, shaking his head with tears immediately coming out of his eyes, "GODDAMMIT, NO…NOOO!"

He spun around to find standing amidst the wreckage of the traffic control tower a singular Chaos Lord armed with a smoking boltpistol and power sword and equipped in Alpha Legion power armour. His face was covered in horrific burns and a cruel smile etched on his face. Calgar growled and aimed his gauntlets towards him. Jacques aimed his storm bolter as well.

"Such a pity," Ezekiel called out, "I was aiming for the vulpine. My targeter must have been affected in the explosion that I…"

If he had eyebrows he would have raised them a couple of times.

"…misfired, heh."

Jacques glared _power_ _swords _at the once thought dead Chaos Lord, before looking over his shoulder at the downed Falco, with Katt beside him cradling his head in her arms, tears pouring out of her eyes as she was screaming for someone to help. Fox gripped Eden and his blaster tightly, inhaling and exhaling so that his scarred chest was rising and descending in a furious manner.

Fearing the worst for Falco, Jacques thought sadly and poetically, 'We are like candles, us living beings…we flicker as time passes until one way or another we shall be snuffed out….'

La'Jakob observed the sight from behind the scope of his almost empty Exitus Rifle. He finished Jacques' thought for him…

"…then the universe will become a dark, soulless void."

* * *

_A/N (continued from top): …I could really use them._

_Here's hoping no one is upset by the mass mutilation of Team Star Fox. I believe I've made a point that even heroes, be it physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, will be scarred and broken by war one **way** or another._


	22. Chapter 19: Severed

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_A/N: To SF Ghost: I've decided to take a darker approach to Jakob's personality. I hope you don't mind._

_To everyone else that reviewed the previous chapter, thanks once again. Your opinions keep this story going._

* * *

Chapter 19 – Severed 

* * *

Falco found himself hyperventilating as he tried to focus on looking into Katt's eyes and not where his left leg used to be, with his blood running out of his rapidly weakening body, where much it of decorated the side of his Arwing.

"Oh…God," he croaked, "It really had…to be me, eh Katt?"

Terrified, Krystal held him close to her and sobbed while stroking the back of his head, "Keep wisecracking, beaky. You'll live longer."

Jacques was amongst hundreds of other Imperial Guardsmen and Marines who aimed their guns at the burned Chaos Lord Ezekiel. The Alpha Legion commander was still smirking and aiming his smoking boltpistol as he stood in front of the remains of a ruined air control tower that had been caught in the cross fire during the last battle between the Emperor's Children and the forces of the Imperium. Whenever he heard Falco scream in agony from the bloody stump that used to be his left leg he gritted his teeth and felt his rage growing even hotter.

Fox however didn't feel vengeance the same way as Fox, only devastation, and the fear that he was going to lose one the closest people he had to a brother. Calgar briefly glanced over at Jacques, consternated as to how he could feel rage towards the Chaos Lord for crippling the xeno Falco, and surprised that Fox didn't look enraged at all, only that weak look of sadness.

"Heretic!" Cassius called out, raising his Crozius Arcanum towards him, "Madness has surely overtaken you now that you decide to stand alone against the Emperor's Chosen!"

Ezekiel lowered his plasma pistol and replied, "I do not stand alone against the False Emperor's lackeys, for the Gods themselves had blessed me tenfold; enough to spill all your blood on this hollow planet and make it holy."

Jacques didn't stand around while listening to his rants, instead running back towards Falco with Nemesis charged with his psychic power, shoving Guardsmen and Marine aside. He dropped to his knees and skidded across the ground towards him, grabbing his left knee and putting the flat end of his sword against the stump, causing Falco to cry out in pain.

"AH! FUCKIN' HELL! STILL LOSING BLOOD…HERE, Y'KNOW!"

Jacques looked at the avian sternly, "Falco?"

"WHAT?"

"Try to think of something pleasant."

Everyone present backed away as Nemesis brimmed with psychic power, causing Falco to grit his teeth in order to stop his loud cursing from causing himself laryngitis. Burning sensations ran up the remainder of his left leg and through his body as Nemesis cauterised his stump, stopping the blood from pouring out in torrents.

Falco smiled painfully, "Well…that takes care of…urk…"

The avian then passed out. Katt cried his name out and begun shaking him. The Grey Knight placed a gauntlet over his left hand.

"He will live," Jacques assured her, then turned around to face Ezekiel, eyes narrowed and right fist clenching, "You will regret that."

Ezekiel smirked, "Admirable concern for a mere xeno. You really are deserving of the term 'xeno-heretic', Mortensen."

He then scowled.

"How does it feel to be hated by your own species completely?" Ezekiel shouted, "For standing beside the alien? How do you know the False Emperor has not abandoned you?"

Jacques growled and stepped away from Falco, shouting back, "He would not…for he guides my bolter shells…"

He raised his storm bolter towards him.

"…to your head!"

He fired several rounds at Ezekiel, who stood his ground and glared. Next caused Jacques' to wince in surprise as he felt a massive, eldritch force to come form behind the Chaos Lord and stop the bolter rounds from hitting him. Instead he made the bolter rounds float right before his frowning face before he glared more intensely and they vaporised into metallic dust.

That was followed by the entire Imperial Guard and Ultramarines 1st Company opening up with their guns open Ezkiel, the laser streams and bolter shells dissipating as crimson energy seeped out of the joints of the Chaos Lord's armour.

"I believe I should let you all know that on my way to this hollow planet the Dark Gods themselves spoke to me," Ezekiel said, "They told me I would be the one to finally make the so-called Only Good Human realise he is no better or nobler than any of us."

Calgar clenched his gauntlets, "I figured the false gods would lie to you. You can never defeat Mortensen."

"Do you not have ears?" Ezekiel boomed out, "Not to defeat him, but to finally bring him back to reality."

He then smirked.

"Though…if I do kill him, then I will be absolved."

Fox shook himself out of his trance-like state of shock and slapped his own forehead, causing Jacques and Krystal to look at him. He frowned and held Eden tightly by both hands.

"There's no way another one is going to lose their life today," Fox cried, "You've got thousands of guns aimed at you."

He paused, as if allowing Ezekiel to reflect on that. Instead, the Chaos Lord still looked scowlingly at the vulpine.

"Why don't you give up?"

Fox swore he heard some Marines and Guardsmen chuckle around them. Sturnn glanced over at him and gave a suppressed smirk of amusement, while Calgar looked at him disdainfully. However, a surprised Jacques nearly exploded.

"There is no surrender, McCloud!" Jacques exclaimed, making Fox's hair stand on end, "The thousands of guns here will redeem that fallen lord once and for all."

"Oh yes, you are in a position to kill me now," Ezkiel agreed, the furrowed his brow, "And miss out on finding out the identity of your parents.

Jacques' frown disappeared, his eyes softening as he felt his grip on Nemesis relax. Fox and Krystal looked at him, alarmed.

"My…parents?"

Calgar grimaced, gritting his teeth tightly as he looked over at Jacques and clenching his fist and ready to open fire on Ezekiel. He stopped when he heard Jacques respond defiantly and with anger.

"Do not try to use what I lost against me. I knew the man and woman who raised me, and they are dead."

Ezekiel scowled, "Pathetic. You truly are."

He then smirked.

"What about the people who conceived and gave birth to you?"

"What?"

Fox gritted his teeth, as he feared the worst. He knew first hand how easily swayed Jacques could be, which was unlike a normally zealous Space Marine. After all, he did join the non-human Star Fox and believes in the preservation of Lylat. And since the topic of parentage is such a delicate issue for anyone it would probably do wonders for Jacques' psyche.

And Krystal knew that too, still looking at Jacques with much concern. Calgar, however, looked as if he was restraining himself from erupting into rage – he was gritting his teeth that hard.

"You really do not know?" Ezekiel asked, "It figures. Calgar must think so much of you to spare you that…_particular_ piece of knowledge."

His eyes darted towards Calgar.

"Am I correct, Lord Macragge?"

From the look on the Chapter-Master's face, it could be told that he visibly panicked. Ezekiel looked down at Jacques, who long was out of his combat stance and instead just stood there as if attentive to whatever the Chaos Lord would have to say.

"Your mother…Chaos claim her soul," Ezekiel begun to declare, "Was murdered by the Inquisition the moment you were born."

"NO!" Calgar exclaimed as his indoctrination quelled his fear, "YOU DAMNED FOOL, HE MUST NOT KNOW!"

Jacques was visibly startled by Calgar's outburst, and felt his ears burn when Ezekiel continued with his taunts.

"Why not? Does he not deserve to know?"

----------

La'Jakob had climbed atop a Leman Russ and was watching the scene unfold from behind the scope of his Exitus rifle, curiosity playing on his face as he tried to make out their lips.

He frowned, 'What are you _people_ talking about? Does it concern the fate of life itself?'

----------

Peppy gritted his teeth as he heard everything from the control room back on Venom, and felt the same amount of panic as Calgar. He scrunched up his hat nervously.

'God, James,' he thought, 'Andross and Abaddon tortured you for _that_ long you couldn't stop yourself from spilling Projectum: Avalon.'

He then sighed.

'I guess that's how Wolf knows as well when Calgar sent him to kill us.'

----------

Jacques' eyes were darting towards both Calgar and Ezekiel, where Cassius and Tigerius watched with their fury beginning to boil, gripping their respective weapons tightly.

"What makes you think you know anything about the xeno-heretic, traitor?" Plymouth demanded out loud.

"Through the pained screams that came out of James McCloud muzzle!" Ezekiel replied, then addressed Fox, "That is right, your own father. He is definitely the one to crack under pressure."

'Damnation!' Cassius thought angrily, 'And damn you, elder McCloud! You swore, Lylatian's honour, to us you would never tell anyone of Avalon…even on pain of torture! Especially the kind you went through.'

Fox's eyes widened and his mouth was ajar with shock.

"My…dad?"

Ezekiel nodded, "_We_ killed him."

Fox shook his head and cried, "Now you're just lying. You can't twist everything, not at the least the truth!"

Confused as he was, Sturnn found himself looking at both the Chaos Lord and the vulpine, trying to get his head around what they were talking about.

'Frak me!' Sturnn thought, 'This is like a damned drama.'

"You all know that Venom was affiliated with the Forces of Chaos, that they tried to create a clone Marine army with Mortensen as the template?" Ezekiel asked, "Of course you do. But it wasn't only Andrew Oikonny that was blessed by the Dark Gods, specifically Khorne."

Tigerius gritted his teeth as he listened on, sensing eldritch energy cascade within Ezekiel's frame, as if ready to tear him apart from inside.

"His uncle long served the Gods," the Chaos Lord continued, "For he discovered the Daemon Gate on Venom, contorting and twisting himself with it's power before graciously allowing the Despoiler, his retinue and me to lay foot within it's underground…"

'Underground?' Jacques thought, 'Does he mean the tunnel network beneath the planet's surface? _Our_ headquarters?'

Krystal was alarmed, '_Another_ Daemon Gate?'

"…where we met face to face with three kemono pilots having being captured by our servant," Ezekiel said, eyes focusing on Fox, "Your predecessors!"

"Peppy, Pigma…and dad," Fox said softly, "But Pigma…?"

"Declared his allegiance most specifically to Slaanesh the moment he learnt of what he could give him in his lifetime," Ezekiel smirked, "In exchange he renounced his loyalty to that winged fox and watched as prepared the first of many Lylatian sacrifices. Not since the days of the Dark Cerinians and their blood cults."

Ezekiel could sense Jacques trying to pry into his mind and immediately brought forth a singular thought in his conscious, making sure the Grey Knight could see it for himself. Jacques did, and immediately felt Nemesis slip from his hands as the thoughts and images bombarded him, his pupils growing wide and his frame becoming still, as if experiencing shock like no other.

Krystal felt the migraines return full force as she also bared witness. Tigerius remained stoic as ever as he looked as well. Sturnn, Plymouth, Calgar and Cassius watched the expressions on them as they simultaneously entered a trance. Fox however ran to Krystal's side and grabbed her by her arms as she was about to fall over.

He laid her on the ground, seeing the pained expression on her face.

"Krystal!" Fox exclaimed, "What's wrong with you no…?"

As the vulpine gripped her tighter as saw for himself as he felt his mind meld with the Warp and Ezekiel's consciousness…

----------

The macabre was amongst them as they saw for themselves another of many truths. It was a large underground circular chamber made of stone, emblems of Chaso sewed on cloth strewn about on the walls. Standing against the wall were many Lords of Chaos Undivided, helmets off and each carrying a battle standard with their respective Legion symbol on it. A procession of robed, hood wearing priests had their palms flat against one another as if in prayer as they circled and chanted around the hapless vulpine tied by his hands and feet to the eight-pointed star suspended above the floor by chains from the ceiling.

The vulpine in question looked almost identical to Fox save for his lighter orange fur, the numerous bruises marring his face and exposed torso and the ruinous Mark of Chaos carved into his chests, the blood seeping from the wounds and dripping onto the ground. His eyes were closed shut and his teeth gritted together as he experienced the most excruciating agony there was.

Watching from the sidelines was an equally beaten Peppy Hare, held by the arms by two Venomian lizard soldiers, and a Chaos Chosen Marine holding a Black Legion battle standard in both his hands. Predictable there was a cruel smile on his pale face, revealing rotting blackened teeth. Distressed at his surroundings and his best friend's predicament, Peppy blinked away the blood seeping into his eyes from his head wounds and shot a glance over at the large figure standing on a elevated platform above the chamber.

No longer able to keep his teeth clenched from the pain, James moaned out loud, before blood seeped out the corner of his mouth.

"Awwwww…Fox…son…"

Laughter erupted around them, coming from the elevated platform and the power armoured behemoth of a top-knotted Warmaster.

"James McCloud," Abaddon said, "By the Warp, You have been chosen. Be glad, for your soul now belongs to your new masters. Zaraphiston?"

"Coming, my lord."

Zaraphiston stepped out of the shadows, accompanied by a figure clad in a red robe. The Sorcerer carried a small human skull-lined chest in his hands. James looked over at Peppy, and tried to call out to him, but feeling his throat parched as he tried to make his tongue work.

"James!" Peppy exclaimed.

"F…Fox…!" James manage to blurt out.

The rabbit fought back the tears as he responded chokingly, "Don't worry, we'll get outta this."

"Heh, don't be so sure, fellas."

Peppy gasped when he heard the familiar voice. That familiar, traitorous voice.

"Aww…Pigma?" James choked out.

Out stepped a pudgy pig in a pink bodysuit from the stone doorway leading into the chamber, happily chomping away on some ham on a bone.

"Hey," the pig called up to Abaddon, "Hate to break it to ya', but you're out of this so-called 'ham'. Got any more?"

Abaddon smiled, finding amusement out of him eating away at meat derived from his more beast-like cousins from the neighbouring galaxy, "As much as you want, Pigma. Just after you bear witness to the disposal of this worthy sacrifice."

"Ah, yeah…the ape told me about his little adventure in Ultima."

The figure in red robes looked up and responded in an aged tone of voice, "I did."

As Zeraphiston opened the chest to reveal a blackened dagger with a golden hilt, the figure in red pulled his hood away to reveal an aged, white haired and bearded ape. James eyes widened as he took the blade from the Sorcerer and held it steadily with both hands. Peppy tried to struggle out of the guards' grasp, the scene before him already familiar.

"No!" Peppy cried, "TAKE ME INSTEAD! I'VE GOT NOTHING!"

"Bull…shit, Hare," James gasped out loud.

"Enough!" Abaddon boomed out, "Andross!"

"Warmaster?"

"Repay the debt owed after Cerinia. Spill the blood of McCloud and make this planet holy!"

Andross smirked and tightened his hold on the blade. He brought it down towards James, aiming for his heart.

The screams from the vulpine were terrifying to hear as Andross sliced his chest open. James' eyes practically bulged out of his head as the ape continued to smile as he reached in to pluck out his beating heart…

----------

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…!"

Fox's piercing scream of disbelief and anguish shattered the vision, bringing him, Krystal, Jacques and Tigerius back to reality. Both psychically potent Space Marine appeared worn out from the experience, while Krystal was close to bursting into tears. Fox eyes closed tightly as he fought back the tears, and didn't open them again until he felt Krystal' soft palm on his face. He brought himself to look into Krystal's sad, worn eyes.

"Fox," she said softly, "I'm so sorry."

Fox stared at her for a few moments, forgetting everything around them and the Chaos Lord still watching them with glee. He looked over at Jacques, who was on one knee as he tried to recover himself. He gave a fleeting glance to the vulpine, his face emotionless but his eyes betraying his stoic demeanour. They revealed regret, and sorrow for this revelation.

To Fox, that was the breaking point.

He leapt to his feet, gripping Eden in his left hand. Almost like lightning he sped toward Jacques and recovered Nemesis in his right. Brandishing both swords in his hands he sped towards Ezekiel, blood (metaphorically) in his eyes and vengeance in his heart. Ezekiel smiled as he stretched his arms outwards.

"Yes!" Ezekiel shouted, "COME TO ME!"

Possessed by the dark power of the Warp Ezekiel bellowed in dark laughter when suddenly daemonic wings spurted out where his shoulder blades should be.

Alarmed, Tigerius thought, 'He's a Possessed! The failed Lord of Chaos is a Possessed! The False Gods personally, and truly, have designs in store for us now!'

"OPEN FIRE!"

As Fox leapt into the air, swords poised in a scissor motion, Sturnn gave the word to attack. Numerous las-blasts struck Ezekiel's daemonic shield and barely missed Fox as he came down upon the Chaos Lord. Ezekiel moved his body to the left and raised his daemonically charged power sword and blocked Fox's attack, before manoeuvring his left wing to swat Fox out of the air, Nemesis flying out of his hand.

Jacques got up and charged, catching Nemesis in his hand before psychically bringing Fox down onto the ground gently. He looked to see Ezekiel flex his wings as the burns on his face glowed crimson. With his rapidly elongating hands, rapidly becoming claws, he tore pieces of his armour away revealing rippling flesh and muscles. With a loud shriek and cracking of his wing bones he stretched his wings and flew towards the Imperial army, sharp claws poised to near the nearest human in half.

And it was General Sturnn. He braced himself for the daemon-possessed Chaos Lord…

"MY LORD GENERAL!"

Sturnn gasped when out of nowhere a Guardsman jumped in between him and the descending Lord of Chaos Undivided. Ezekiel unceremoniously tore the Guardsman in half as Sturnn ducked to the side, falling onto the cold soil, storm bolter blazing at Ezekiel. The Lord kicked and smashed the bolter off of the General's lightning claw. Numerous Guardsmen backed away from the Chaos Lord, lasguns blazing but being repelled by his psychic shield, desperate to save their general but fearing the proximity to the Chaos Lord.

Commissar Plymouth was the next to charge, sabre raised…

"FEAR ME, FALLEN LORD! I BRING _HIS_ WRATH UPON YOUR HEATHEN HEAD!"

Ezekiel spun around and parried Plymouth's sabre. He pulled his power sword back, spinning him around and delivering a devastating kick to his back, sending him falling face down into the ground. He then noticed out the corner of his eye Krystal, having picked herself up from the ground and was running to Fox's aid.

'She is now facially scarred,' Ezekiel thought, 'It shows she's a warrior, and a worthy sacrifice.'

Forgetting about his Imperial Guard targets, he took off after the vixen. Fox recuperated enough to notice a mutated Chaos Lord hurtling towards her.

"K…KRYSTAL! BEHIND YOU"

She spun around to see Ezekiel gunning for her and she cried out in shock. He gripped her staff and prepared to use it. But didn't, seeing as how Jacques tackled him from midair, impaling Nemesis through his left shoulder into the ground.

"Fight me!" Jacques exclaimed out loud, "You wish for a sacrifice? Try and take me!"

Ezekiel smiled painfully, "Gladly."

He thrust his right claw forward and pierce through his right arm, causing him to wince slightly. He then kicked Jacques off him, then reached for the hilt of Nemesis and pulled it out of his shoulder. He then hurled Nemesis at Jacques, who stretched his right hand forward and the blade pierced through his right hand.

----------

_La'Jakob, can't you shoot the mont'au from where you are?_

La'Jakob gripped the Exitus Rifle tightly and responded into his com, "He's moving too fast. I would risk hitting either McCloud or Krystal."

_And the Grey Knight?_

Jakob rolled his eyes, "He is not my concern, Tash. Stand by…"

----------

Jacques gritted his teeth, groaning through them as he pulled the sword out of his gauntlet with his left hand then transferring Nemesis to his right hand. The small amount of pain he felt kept his mind sharp, but Krystal once again was distressed at the sight of the blood and exposed flesh appearing on his right arm and hand.

"You will not hurt any more of my comrades today, Chaos!" Jacques exclaimed, "Only one more person shall die this day."

"Perhaps on this world," Ezekiel said, "But not everywhere else in Lylat, or in the universe. And on this world, the one more that shall die will be the vixen!"

Jacques shook his head in disbelief, passing a momentarily glance at Krystal trying to help Fox onto his feet. Before he could respond, however…

"Why are you so obsessed with the last of the Cerinians?" Calgar boomed out as he and the Ultramarine charged forward ahead of the Guardsmen.

Ezekiel spun around to face them, eyes blazing with crimson, "Her blood spilled by a Chaos blade will make Lylat as unholy as our own galaxy! That is a guarantee from the Dark Gods themselves."

"We shall not let you," Calgar responded with fury, "Anywhere in the universe where Chaos sit, we will dethrone!"

And at that Jacques charged and swung Nemesis, Ezekiel blocking his attacking and swinging his power sword, making the Grey Knight swerve his head. Ezekiel then raised his plasma pistol and fired into Jacques' knee caps, piercing the armour and bringing him onto his knees, incapacitating him. Calgar was the next to strike, his gauntlets striking Ezkiel's rapidly daemonic form. Instead of being sent flying, Ezekiel just stood there still and swung his claw, slashing Calgar across the face, his nails digging into his flesh. The Lord Macragge recoiled and closed his eyes tightly as he felt pain, before a psychic blast sent him flying.

He hurtled towards his Marine, including Cassius, knocking them all done and crushing any unfortunate Guardsmen nearby. Tigerius roared and unleashed a psychic attack, only to have it sent back at him and knocking him flat onto his back. Clearly, the daemonic influence emanating from Ezekiel was overwhelming the Emperor's Chosen.

Jacques recovered and lunged at him, their swords making contact. Jacques gritted his teeth as Ezekiel continued to smile…

"STOP SMILING!" Jacques roared, "CHAOS DOES NOT BRING JOY!"

"Of course, but only to you," Ezekiel respond, "Especially not now…"

Ezekiel eyed Krystal brandishing her staff, and with a look of ferocious anger common to the Cerinian woman warrior charged at her. He raised his plasma pistol and fired at her. Krystal swung her staff to unsuccessfully deflect the plasma, the stream that wasn't cut away struck her in the left shoulder

"ARGHHH!"

She screamed in agony as the plasma tore away at her clothes and burning the fur away from her exposed shoulder. Jacques' gasp caught in his mouth as she tripped and fell forward onto the ground, causing Jacques to break his parry with Ezekiel and instinctively spun around.

That was the opportunity Ezekiel waited for as Jacques spun around to watch in horror as Krystal got thrown from the blast and landed roughly on her left arm, the sound of bone snapping as she broke it. The Chaos Lord swung his power sword and severed the Grey Knight's right arm below his elbow.

His pain reducers stopped him from freezing and bellowing in pain, where he spun around and grabbing Ezekiel by the throat, surprising him as well as beginning to strangle him and in a surprise show of strength lifted him off his feet.

----------

"Damn it! Still no shot! I would shoot right through Mortensen, and Krystal…would not prefer that."

----------

"You…will pay for that, heretic!" he forced out breathlessly, anger evident in his voice.

Ezekiel growled and reached with his right hand to grasp the emerald necklace around Jacques' neck. He tore it from his neck and tossed it away, alarming Jacques as he turned his head to see it land on the ground nearby. That distraction provided enough time for Ezekiel to land a right hook at Jacques and sending him sprawling onto the ground, letting the Chaos Lord go.

Immediately upon lying on the ground he reached out desperately with his left arm to try and grab his…Krystal's…necklace. Ezekiel spat some blood before he scowled over at Jacques and stepped over to him, kicking his left arm away from the necklace. Jacques gritted his teeth

"Your devotion to the xeno makes you weak!" Ezekiel exclaimed, "You disgust even the Dark Gods for everything they hate that is the Imperium, xeno-heretic!"

Jacques angrily spat at the Chaos Lord, "You will pay with your life!"

"Not very likely, especially after I sacrifice _her_ for the glory of Chaos Undivided. DIE!"

Ezekiel gripped his power sword and prepared to drive it through his chest when he felt a heavy book made impact with his face courtesy of Fox McCloud and a flying jump kick. He knocked the Chaos Lord away and allowed Jacques to get up and recover Nemesis. Fox tensed up at the sight of Jacques' severed limb, but once again managing to keep the bile down, already feeling enough stress from seeing Falco nearly die behind him.

Ezekiel shook his head and roared, "Do you still think I was lying about the Despoiler personally terminating your father's life?"

Fox growled, "When it comes to my father I don't know what truth is any more."

He then thought, which Jacques managed to overhear.

'And Peppy was holding out on me after all.'

----------

"Stand still, damn you…let me pick off a part of you which matters the most."

----------

"I am going to kill the both of you right now," Ezekiel vowed, "And afterwards I am going to make the vixen bless the Gods just before I slice her across the chest and reach for her heart. And there is not a damned thing you can do about it."

Krystal coughed out loud as she tried to get up, instinctively moving her right hand to cover her plasma-burned left shoulder. Ezekiel smiled and flexed he wings, deciding to go for her first. Before Jacques and Fox could respond he darted for her.

"NO!" Jacques and Fox shouted out loud.

----------

"I pull the trigger…and shall defend…"

----------

The loud crack of the Exitus Rifle tore through the air, and Jacques felt something skim the side of his face before hitting Ezekiel, taking off his left wing. The daemon inside him screamed in agony and he was sent falling right before Krystal, who dove to the side to avoid him.

Jacques felt his left cheek, and a fresh bloody cut there. He spun around to face the Imperial Guard standing behind them all this time, their guns not silent and electing to watch the battle unfold before them. He then turned back to see the Chaos Lord get back up.

----------

La'Jakob frowned and fired again, blowing Ezekiel's right leg off and sending him onto the ground.

----------

Jacques rushed over and put his foot down on the Chaos Lord, keeping him pinned down. Fox stepped over and kicked his plasma pistol out of his hand. The threat of the daemonic Chaos Lord now pacified, Krystal took the time to recover herself, her broken right arm hanging limply, and gasped when she noticed Jacques' severed arm on the ground. She immediately rushed over to him, right hand immediately over his stump in an effort to comfort him, much to his surprise. And to her surprise as well, seeing how his enhanced blood had sealed the wound.

"J…Jacques?"

"I am alright," Jacques smiled reassuringly, then looked down and narrowed his eyes at Ezekiel, "Whatever this abomination inflicted on me, it was minimal at best."

'Minimal?' Krystal thought wondrously, 'A severed arm and he calls it 'minimal'?"

"Are _you_ alright?"

Krystal moved her right hand over her left arm where she sense the bone cracked and groaned loudly.

"I'll live."

Both Fox and Jacques looked at Krystal worriedly, before exchanging glances towards each other, each glad the other was still alive, thought not in one piece.

Ezekiel saw a dozen boltguns trained on him as the Space Marines crowded around them, with Calgar, Cassius and Tigerius pushing through to join Fox, Jacques and Krystal. Sturnn and Plymouth stood nearby, deciding to bear silent witness. The Commissar turned around and raised his magnoculars to see La'Jakob standing some distance away on top of a Leman Russ, wondering if it's commander planned to shoot him for putting his heretical hands on a sacred machine of the Emperor.

"You have lost, fallen one," Calgar boomed out, eyeing Jacques and making him take his foot off Ezekiel's chest, practically daring him to get up, "Ask our Chaplain for Confession and your soul may be spared as it is released from it's mortal shackles."

Ezekiel growled and spat, his acidic saliva hitting the left wing of the Aquila on his Artificer Armour and burning it. Angered, Calgar put his massive foot down on his legs, crushing them. Ezekiel only winced and frowned more intensely.

"McCloud."

"Yeah?"

"This cretin has attempted to kill your best friend and your lover," Calgar said, then narrowed his eyes, "And your 'brother' to a lesser extent."

Fox gritted his teeth.

"Do you know now the extent of Chaos unholy presence in this universe?"

"All to well," Fox responded.

"Mortensen?"

"Aye?"

"Despite your apparent allegiance to the xeno, do you at least believe that Chaos is the Enemy?"

"Chaos _is_ the Great Enemy, "Lord Macragge."

"Then kindly dispose of this heretic."

Jacques nodded and with his remaining arm he held Nemesis as he stepped back towards Ezekiel. The Chaos Lord saw all around him the thousands of Imperials that encircled him and immediately resigned to his fate, but not without letting off a burst of wild laughter, and if one could look closely there were tears of joys streaming down his face.

With fury and rare zealotry Jacques demanded, "Why do you laugh, heretic?"

"Heh…you do not understand. You just do not understand," Ezekiel smiled, "YOU are _Chaos_ itself."

Jacques eyebrows arched themselves as he stood before the Chaos Lord's body. Fox and Krystal looked down at him questioningly, then at Jacques with even more confusion.

"What do you mean?" the Grey Knight asked, placing the tip of Nemesis on Ezekiel's chest plate and dangling the hilt in his hand in a threatening manner, "Answer me. Do you speak rhetoric of the false gods?"

Ezekiel laughed, "Oh, you will wish it is rhetoric Jacques."

Tigerius growled, "Explain yourself, heretic. And we will ease your soul's damning passage back to your masters!"

Still smiling, Ezekiel droned out, "You, Jacques Mortensen, you stand for everything we fight for: For Chaos, to throw reality out of it's downgrading, repetitive loop. You…you subject yourself to things that no Astartes can bring himself to do – human emotion…not to mention weakness."

His smile faded when he suddenly coughed out blood. Jacques got down on one knee, driving Nemesis into the ground next to Ezekiel. Fox stood by, Eden in hand and watching out for anything and everything that could happen. Krystal stood by, eyes switching back and forth between Jacques and Ezekiel, ever concerned for what is to happen next.

Ezekiel groaned, before continuing, "You are different…different to all the loyalist scum I have slaughtered for thousands of years, each one loyal to only one thing – That stuffed corpse on the Golden Throne, the False Emperor."

Tigerius growled again, "Stay your tongue, heretic, or face our vengeance…"

Jacques frowned waved his hand, silencing a surprised Tigerius. He looked back down at Ezekiel, his eyes telling him to continue."

Ezekiel continued, "But you…when you stood against me, it was not for Him, but for _Him_…"

The Chaos Lord indicated Fox with a point of his finger with his raised left hand.

"…and _Her_…"

Then he indicated Krystal.

"You threw yourself between me and them. You saved them from me. At that moment, I knew you were not thinking of the False Emperor when you did that. You were not even thinking of yourself. Only them."

He closed his eyes and shook his head, almost sadly.

"No Space Marine would ever do that. Never would he be willing to sacrifice himself to save others that did not matter to humanity or the Imperium," Ezekiel grimaced, "For a second, your loyalty and compassion for the furs sickened me, but I realise as I lay here dying…"

He began smiling again.

"…you embody change. A Space Marine, an Ultramarine, a Grey Knight who fights for something other than the Emperor's Cause. That is completely unheard of."

He coughed up some more blood, much of which ended up on Jacques' face. Krystal was shocked at the sight, and watched him calmly wipe it off his face.

"Sorry…" Ezekiel groaned, "As I was saying…you are different, and are Chaos in itself – The herald of the coming of the Realm of Chaos."

Jacques shook his head and growled, "I am _not_ Chaos. I do not pledge my allegiance to Chaos, I do not worship Chaos..."

"Oh of course not," Ezekiel agreed, but continued hauntingly, "But you are different. From everything I have read of you as according to the Despoiler you are completely different. The true god of Chaos Tzeentch must be behind you, for how else can you be unlike any other loyalist scum encountered."

The Ultramarines around them became disturbed over Ezekiel's words. The Grey Knight's eyes widened, and for a second he felt fear in that revelation. He narrowed his eyes in anger, "That is not true."

"You can deny it all you want," Ezekiel continued, "You even told me you were _unique_. Tell me, why are you still alive? How come the Ultramarines have not killed you yet and salvaged your Gene Seed?"

Calgar stepped forward and boomed out, "Because he is a servant of humanity and, despite his torn loyalties, he serves the Emperor by killing his enemies."

Now Ezekiel was laughing out loud, "Just how long can you go protecting him from all the other nine-hundred and ninety-nine Chapters that serve the False Emperor? And the Inquisition? They are going to want to have their traitor Grey Knight back."

"So long as he fights against the enemies of humanity, Calgar continued aggressively, "You, on the other hand…."

He turned to Jacques, frowning.

"Brother Mortensen, you may kill him now."

Jacques turned towards Calgar, his eyes still wide. He then resumed using his emotionless mask and nodded. He grabbed Nemesis and pulled the blade out of the ground and positioned it just above Ezekiel's heart.

"One day soon you have to make a choice," Ezekiel droned on, "Who are you more loyal to? The Ultramarines and the Imperium of Man, or…"

He looked over and smiled at Krystal, who was starting to feel fearful for Jacques.

"…your vixen. You think that love and compassion for living things are strength? Things do not work that way in this universe of ours. How do you think I severed your arm?

Jacques grimaced when he looked at his left stump. Krystal was desperate to reach out and comfort him because of it, but common sense told her to stay back.

"Either you make the right choices, or you will fall."

He looked up at Jacques.

"Here's the first of many choices: Keep me alive for twenty more seconds and I will tell you who your real mother and father are. You will go against your Chapter-Master's wishes, who for some reason seeks to keep your parents identities disclosed, and you will face punishment, but you will have lifted a heavy weight off your shoulders."

Fox looked at him and could see him begin to sweat in anticipation of the answer to _that_ question. Calgar, however, he saw as about to blow to top as was clinching his gauntlets that hard.

The vulpine was startled when Calgar shouted, "I gave you a command. Kill the heretic!"

"Jacques!" Fox exclaimed.

Krystal's eyes were filled with emotion once again, "Please….no."

Jacques found himself frozen in place, sword in his hand still dangling above Ezekiel, all the while Calgar was getting both frustrated and angry at Ezekiel for complicating Jacques once again. Ten seconds past without movement, and the Space Marines around them were gripping their weapons and advancing towards Jacques, with blood in their eyes.

"Ten seconds…your mother's name is Lucille Mortensen," Ezekiel chimed, "Violated by the Ordo Xeno to conceive you, then killed by the Ordo Xeno after giving birth to you. Five more seconds and your father's name…"

Five seconds past and Jacques noticed several boltguns trained on him. Fox and Krystal were about to act in defence of him.

Calgar was ablaze at Jacques' hesitation and stopped thinking straight, "KILL HIM, DAVID!"

"…your father's name is…"

He was cut short when Calgar fired his storm bolter into Ezekiel's face, shocking Jacques out of his trance and instinctively driving Nemesis into the Chaos Lord's chest. Fox and Krystal were startled at the sights of Calgar silencing Ezekiel before he could reveal who his father was, and was even more startled at the look of horror and bewilderment on his face.

Calgar spat to the side and kicked Ezekiel body away. He then turned to Jacques, as if ready to attack him. Jacques did not move his body to face him, but rather turned his head, allowing him to see his shocked reaction.

The Lord Macragge shook his head, "He was right about just one thing. As a servant of the Immortal Emperor there are choices in life you have to make. This time I made it for you."

He then peered in close to Jacques, appearing sinister. The Space Marines lowered their weapons as Jacques turned his whole body to face him.

"Disobey me again and I will no longer be lenient towards you," he rolled his eyes towards Fox and Krystal, "Or your friends."

Krystal noticed Cassius smirking in the background and frowned.

----------

Praises, cheers and cries of jubilation went around the crews of the Imperial/Cornerian fleet in orbit upon hearing news from the surface that the Chaos forces had been completely routed and the lures of Slaanesh having been taken down a notch in Lylat. Nero couldn't hold back a smile as he stood before glass windows overlooking MacBeth, studying the planet from the Pacifier, short for Sanguinius Pacificus.

"Lord Admiral!" an ecstatic naval officer rushed to him, giving the sign of the Aquila as Nero turned to face him, "We have won another victory in the name of the God-Emperor, defeating the lewd scourge of Slaanesh. Surely we have brought our redemption over allying with the beast xeno."

Nero shook his head, causing the officer to lower his raised arms slowly and in disbelief, "We will be redeemed once we die killing the Despoiler and smashing this Black Crusade, without the help of either those traitor Ultramarines or damn furs."

He then twisted his heels and made for the door out of the bridge.

"If you will excuse me, I must make a start on our battle report. Send a bottle of Tanith Gin up to my quarters in an hour."

----------

"Congratulations, sir," Colonel Mick the mastiff saluted the hare smilingly as he got up from his seat, "Another victory chalked for the Cornerian army. If General Peppy were here…"

Peppy crossed his arms, "I trust there are still attempts to locate Pepper."

Mick's grin disappeared as he resumed being professional, "Yes, sir. We are still attempting to track him, but so far out of five planets still not under Chaos control we've found nothing."

"Keep looking, then," Peppy frowned, "Besides information on Cornerian stratagem and R & D he holds we can't even think of letting him get ensnared by those damned cults or Marine legions."

"I understand, sir," Mick replied, "We'll start searching on worlds still holding out, then."

"Communications on MacBeth?"

"Still up and running, sir. The resonance previously blocking all coms has faded…"

----------

…_that has to be a good sign._

Sitting by the holo-projector operated by Earth Caste technicians and surrounded by Water Caste diplomats Aun'shi rubbed his chin, paying attention to the exchange between Peppy and Mick. The Water Caste all looked at one another, smiling and nodding decisively towards each other as they took this as good news.

"Honourable Ethereal," one of the Por'la said, "No doubt this is very good news."

"Very good news," the Ethereal agreed.

_Aun'shi, _the state room's communication system buzzed, _Report from MacBeth. The Chaos forces have been destroyed. The Fire Caste and it's allies are victorious._

"I am aware," Aun'shi replied, "Thank you."

_What are your orders, Honoured Ethereal?_

"Attempt communication with O'Shovah immediately," Aun'shi said as he begun to pace in front of the projector, "I want him back on Venom immediately for personal assessment of the situation at hand."

He then thought, embittered with himself.

"We really should not have let him run off by himself in the first place. I am becoming such a fool in my old age.'

----------

An hour after the death of Ezekiel, the 2nd Battalion and the Ultramarines returned back to the rail complex and immediately joined them in celebration as the wounded were squared away for the treatment and the dead separated from the living to await rites and burial . Lasguns and blasters blazed away into the air as the Cornerian and Imperials celebrated together, before the Imperial quickly separated themselves to be led by Cassius in a procession through the pathways of the rail complex. They raised flags and Aquilas on every corner as the priests shouted litanies and sang songs in praise to the Emperor. The Cornerian kept as far away from them as possible during these proceedings.

After making sure that Falco was with the Cornerian medics along with his severed leg with Katt in tow and Krystal's broken arm was put in a sling, she and Fox hugged each other warmly and shared a long kiss. Afterwards when Jacques had come to give salutations to Fox regarding another victory for Team Star Fox, Krystal had walked up to him and surprised him once again by giving him a rather affectionate hug and a nuzzle. This drew a frown from the vulpine and some snickers from some passing Cornerian soldiers, especially with Jacques' wide, surprised eyes, where it would appeared he bordered on being embarrassed.

The Tau Pathfinders and a couple of returned XV88 Crisis Suits celebrated by themselves by the fountain, giving praise to the Ethereal Caste for their parting of their knowledge to the Fire Warriors which were used to defeat their enemy. La'Jakob had taken off his coat and armour to reveal the tattoos on his arms as he recited some wise words from Commander Shadowson…

"To follow any path other than the Tau'va is to doom us all. Only together and with courage and discipline shall we stand victorious. Fight with fire and courage and nothing can stand against us."

La'Tash patted him on the back and smiled, "And nothing did stand against us."

"I believe a promotion is in order for you, La'Jakob," another Pathfinder beamed, "Or should that be…Ui'Jakob?"

Jakob shrugged, "I would not be so sure. That depends if Aun'shi deems it necessary for me to obtain a promotion and…where is Shas'O Shovah?"

All heads jerked upwards at that sudden question.

"I do not know," Tash said, "We haven't seen him since we took the rail complex."

"Then we should be trying to contact him right away," La'Jakob said.

Tash appeared sceptical, "You do no think…he plans to betray us, do you?"

Jakob's eyes widened at that revelation.

"I…I am unsure…"

----------

"Commander," Shas'vre'Law spoke into the com unit built into the interior of his Crisis Suit's helmet, "Enemy presence has been routed. The base of Mount Twirlenkiller is under our control."

The Tau suit pilot finished what he was saying by firing his plasma rifle into the gullet of a human cultist, tearing him in half and letting his blood spill all over the ground of the abandoned Chaos fort at the base of Mount Twirlenkiller. T'au and Farsight Battle Suits scanned the entire base for anything irregular, with O'Shovah hovering above midair, as if trying to find something specific.

It then came to him, in the form of a metal door built into the rock of the mountain. O'Shovah smiled and landed his suit on it's two mechanical feet, then disengaged the systems on his suit. The torso plating unlatched itself from the armour and swung open like a door, as did his helm, revealing O'Shovah inside. He pulled his arms out of the suit and leapt out and onto the ground.

Stretching his arms to his sides and straightening his back, feeling his bones creak, he walked up to the door and produced some sort of portable rectangular handheld device which he immediately applied to the keypad next to the door. The red and blue lights on the device flashed and the sounds of decrypting were like music to O'Shovah's ears.

Seconds later the lights on the device faded and the door opened, revealing a staircase leading downwards into darkness. O'Shovah smiled to himself as he begun to step downwards, unafraid of whatever is down there and full of confidence that he would find what he was looking for.

_Shas'O?_ O'Shovah's wrist computer blurted, the light shining off the monitor illuminating the staircase before him, _Where are you? We've lost sight of you?_

"I am fine, Vre'Law," O'Shovah replied, "I am just seeing for myself if the Marquis' rambling about what secrets the hollow world hide are true?"

_Cornerian produced nuclear weapons, sir?_

"The very same."

----------

After the jubilee and celebrations of their victory died down, the Imperial Guard begun to reorganise themselves, preparing to be shipped off to the next warzone. Sturnn, Plymouth and Colonel Haunterszlot watched as their troops and machinery marched and rolled respectively into the heavy transport ships designed to take them back into orbit and to the Imperial cruisers in orbit.

Embittered, Plymouth turned to Haunterzlot, "You personally _executed_ a Guardsman, Colonel."

"I did."

"Why did you?" Sturnn asked.

"Lord General, for he was about to shatter the truce we currently have with the xeno," Haunterzlot justified mildly, "It is bad enough we must ally with them but to have them turn on us…between the fell legions and the daemon we would not survive and onslaught, even with the Space Marines by our side."

Sturnn nodded, "I understand, but next time leave it to the Commissars."

"I understand, Lord General. I will now take my leave."

Haunterzlot saluted and left to rejoin the rest of the officers awaiting transport off world, watched as he went by the General and the Regimental Commissar, the later shaking his head tiredly.

"He sees furs as true allies, Lord General," Plymouth said, frowning, "And the good servant of the Emperor learns to detest _his_ enemies."

"In time, Commissar, in time," Sturnn replied, sounding equally tired, "I promise you that much. Now, the number of casualties and wounded…"

"I have the numbers here, General."

----------

Krystal bit her lip as she tried to keep her broken left arm still in it's sling, the cast already irritating the skin underneath her fur and making her want to scratch it, much to her annoyance. Fox had his vest and shirt off as the wounds and scars on his chest were re-examined by the Space Marine Apothecary with the aid of a servi-scar, who were insistent as he had been wounded by a Chaos blade and wanted to double check in case of daemon related infestation.

Luckily…

"You appear to be fine, McCloud," the Apothecary said, "Though your scars will remain with you for the rest of your life."

Fox downcast his eyes and nodded, "Thanks."

"Think of them as badge of honour, vulpine," the Apothecary added, "They will stand as a testament to your survival against the Ruinous Powers…"

He then turned to Krystal, who was standing with Jacques as they watched on. She looked back.

"…and you, Cerinian Princess. Surely if by chance the souls of your fallen species still live they see your scar and consider you a warrior worthy of those hacked down on the battlefields besides many of our brothers."

Krystal touched the scar on her face and nose and winced, before appearing solemn as she realised they would be there for the rest of her life, and being reminded of her people. Jacques nodded solemnly; remembering the majority the 2nd Company that fell on Cerinia. Only his Captain Sicarius, Commander of the Watch, and a handful of others managed to escape and keep the company alive.

_A/N: Yes I realise it would have been the end of the Ultramarines if the 2__nd__ Company had been wiped out completely. I'll retcon this when I get the chance…_

'Curious,' Jacques thought, 'I never did ask the Lord Macragge how Sicarius took my judgement by the Inquisition. He looked as if he was about to kill the Ordo Xeno Inquisitor who arrested me when they came for me.'

"And Mortensen," the Apothecary turned to him now, "We will be able to reattach your right arm, but your hand has sustained to much damage to the tendons and nerves, and henceforth you will require a bionic."

Jacques appeared to shrug, "So be it."

He smiled over at Fox and Krystal and walked off. Fox was awestruck at how he calmly he reacted to the loss of his limb, but reasoned it was because it can easily replaced. He could see that Krystal was still worrying about him and patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry about him, Krys," Fox smiled, "Honestly, you're starting to act more like his _big _sister every day."

Krystal smiled lightly and kissed his hand, "I can't help it, Fox. I'll always be his sister."

Fox's smiled faded as he looked away from him. He thought, 'Let's keep it that way.'

----------

From the fountain La'Jakob rubbed the back of his bandaged head as he watched with disdain at the exchange between Jacques and the two foxes. He heard his communicator beep and he looked away towards the flowing water below him, tapping his earpiece to answer it.

"La'Jakob of T'au."

_Gue'vesa'shas'la._

La'Jakob recognised the voice, "Shas'O? Where are you and the XV88 pilots?"

_I apologise if we have worried you and the Pathfinders, but we have stumbled across something that may help us to put an end to this conflict sooner than we had hoped. Is the Star Fox team accounted?_

"Yes, but not in one piece unfortunately," Jakob grimaced.

_Inform Commander McCloud that we may need their assistance in moving the payload from the bunker to the Great Fox and prep for transport to either Venom or the next closest warzone._

"Payload, Shas'O?"

_Remember Titania, and how it is a desert?_

La'Jakob breath caught in his throat with shock, "A…atomics?"

_You are shocked? Don't be. We will discuss this with the Cornerian authorities once we are off world. O'Shovah signing off._

"B…b…but…!"

La'Jakob stuttered in shock with the thoughts of radiation and mushroom clouds passing through his mind. He had never seen an atomic up close, but from the Tau vid disks on the subject of Imperial testing on abandoned or lightly populated worlds he saw first hand the devastation they inflicted and how they can kill a planet slower than a badly-focused Exterminatus ever could. And the shocking images of radiation sickness upon human and non-human bodies had quickly burnt themselves into his mind.

"Jakob?"

Krystal interrupted his thoughts as he looked up to face her. The scars on her face once again disturbed him, but he kept a straight face thought he couldn't stop his eyes from wavering.

"Krystal?"

"You brought down Lord Ezekiel," Krystal said, then smiled, "Thank you."

La'Jakob returned the smile as he sat down on the edge of the fountain, "Did we not promise to look out for each other?"

Krystal squeezed his left shoulder affectionately, before her smile slowly faded and she sat down next to him. La'Jakob stopped smiling as well, and appeared intrigued.

"What troubles you?"

"Listen," Krystal said softly, hand clasped on her lap and looking over at him, "I know we haven't known very long, but I have something I need you to do for me."

La'Jakob appeared more intrigued, "What is it?"

"I…" Krystal appeared unsure of herself, "I…I don't…really know how to put this."

"Just say whatever you have to say," La'Jakob said, "If it is to contribute to our survival, then by all means I will accomplish it to the best of my ability?"

Krystal mind clicked suddenly after hearing Jakob speak.

'He's very well mannered and cultured. Almost, if not exactly, like Jacques. Though…does he act like this in front of everyone friendly to him, or just to me?'

She rubbed the back of her neck.

"I need you to talk to Jacques Mortensen."

La'Jakob looked as if he was about to scowl, "_Your_ Space Marine comrade?"

"If the both of you are going to be able to fight alongside one another without any sort of reservation then I believe the best way would be for the both of you two see what the other really is," Krystal explained.

"I already know _what_ he is," La'Jakob said, "And I know what he thinks of me: A traitor to the 'God'-Emperor."

Krystal didn't miss the vehemence in his voice. She sounded sincere when she continued, "If you just sit down and make conversation with him for only one minute you will see the noble, caring yet complicated person he is. And I think in the long run…"

"Please," Jakob raised his hand before her, "I know what you are trying to do. If you even knew one ounce of my history you will understand why I am not eager to make any new friends, especially if they are Imperial."

Krystal downcast her eyes, with the planet he mentioned Geewing immediately springing to mind. It was apparent that something terrible had happened to him there, and she was too full of respect to peer into his mind and find out for himself what made him tick on the subject of Imperials, possibly even humans in general.

Jakob saw how despondent Krystal had now become and sighed heavily, standing up and rubbing his forehead. He checked his watch, seeing that he now had an hour and a half before he had to inject himself with hus accursed medicine.

He turned to face her. She looked up at him when he spoke again.

"Alright," La'Jakob nodded, "I will speak to him."

Krystal smiled, "Thank you."

"Krystal?"

"Hmmm?"

La'Jakob cringed slightly when O'Shovah orders came back to him, "I have also have something important to ask of you, actually, of Team Star Fox. It concerns Commander Farsight and the Tau."

Krystal stared at him, curiously, "What is it?"

La'Jakob was now his gritting his teeth behind his closed lips, immediately trying to figure out how to ask her to allow O'Shovah to transport dormant atomic weapons on board the Great Fox II to the next warzone. Immediately they would begin to slowly destroy the planet they would be fighting to save next.

He decided to put it off for the moment.

"Oh, for the moment it is nothing," La'Jakob smiled, "It can wait after I see Mortensen."

"Please," Krystal pleaded for the last time, "Just _talk_ to him."

At that she walked away to join Fox, leaving a now unsmiling La'Jakob standing there alone and silent, as if dumbstruck by her desperate pleas. It took some time before he shook himself out of his confused trance and composed himself. He looked over to see Jacques talking with a pair of Scouts. Afterwards Jacques walked away, stepping towards the broken wall of the rail complex begun looking out towards the empty grey plains, pensive.

Jakob noticed the tiredness evident on his face. With the next Chaos attack pending against Lylat, it was quite understandable for him to be feeling the stress beginning to take hold of him. He decided to act on Krystal's advice and strike up a conversation with Jacques, and decide for himself once and for all if he is truly one of the monsters of the Inquisition.

He got up and walked over towards him. Sensing him, Jakob raised his head, but still looking out across the ranges outside the base.

"Jacques."

Jacques turned to him, still gripping Eden, "Yes."

La'Jakob decided, for now, to be blunt, "How do you live with it?"

"Pardon?"

Jakob frowned slightly, "How can you live with yourself? How can you keep going? How can you stand...?"

He sighed exasperatedly.

"...being what you are?"

Jacques looked down at his feet, carving a line into the ground with Eden, "I have no choice, La'Jakob."

La'Jakob appeared to scowl, "No choice?"

He crossed his arms.

"When the priests and acolytes of the Chapter came to your Orphanrium, did they not promise a life of duty, honor and fulfillment in serving the Emperor of Mankind? Could you not have just walked away and refuse?"

Jacques studied him for a moment, eyes slightly wide with surprise after looking into his mind and seeing the reasoning and logic behind his questioningly, "I had no choice, because if I refused I would have served far worst aspects of humanity than the Adeptus Astartes."

La'Jakob decided to by coy, "You could have chosen to die. Release your soul from your mortal shackles and fade away into memory as someone who chose an alternative than to serve bigotry and oppression that is the Imperium."

"You speak of the Imperium as if it is the entirety of humanity," Jacques sounded annoyed, "And that all of humanity seeks to subjugate and take the universe for everything it has. That is not true. I mean…"

He smiled.

"…take a look at yourself, and if you ask any of Star Fox, they will say I am their friend, whom fought with them against their own enemies, that I brought Venom to it's knees, that I pursued their leader onto a daemon world to put him down for good, and to save my most precious person."

"You?" La'Jakob said, almost sounding like he scoffed at the thought of Jacques not being a 'worse aspect of humanity.'

Jacques frowned, hearing his tone of voice, "I am declared 'Excommuicatus Traitoris' by the Inquisition, that same group that has cast a dark shadow over the Emperor's realm. Surely that would tell you that the Imperium wants me dead and my gene-seed harvested."

"Yet you are part of their Chamber-Militant," Jakob pointed out, waving his finger at the iconography on his pauldrons and chest-plate, "How could you say that, knowing you fly their colors as you rush headfirst into battle? Your enemies see you and believe you fight for them…"

He then raised an eyebrow as he continued…

"And have had their propaganda burned into the back of your brain."

Jacques stared at him emptily, before down casting his eyes in deep thought. It was half a minute later when he opened his mouth to respond.

"I…I have no answer to that," Jacques replied somberly, "Nor knowledge has to how I became part of Order 666, the same Chapter that has never had a single one of their numbers turn to Chaos. And to be honest with myself, I do not wish to know how."

He then glared, causing Jakob to stop scowling at him.

"As for the 'propaganda' they ostensibly burned into my brain as you say, I keep it towards the back of my consciousness and never let it affect my judgement. They tell me that humanity is superior and everyone and everything else is either inferior or cannon-fodder, but I never believed it."

The Gue'vesa felt his eyes grow wide as saucers in astonishment, especially now that Jacques openly glaring at him…the same kind of glare he always gave his enemy before he stuck his blades into him.

"And I do not believe in Imperialism. So I suggest you not be so quick to judge _all_ of humanity, especially when not _all_ of humanity is within the boundaries of the Imperium of Man."

Jacques then gripped Nemesis and held it firmly and straight in his hand.

"Thought I cannot blame you for thinking that way towards humanity, knowing what happened to the colony on Vorus, and what the priests and neophytes did to you on both Calth and Geewing."

La'Jakob shook slightly where he stood as if in fright.

"You…you are reading my mind again?" La'Jakob gasped, then was quick to anger, "Stop it!"

"I did not need to read your mind in order to know that," Jacques stated as he walked away to join Krystal and Fox, "Your birth planet was within your personal records, and that your name is not amongst the Chapter's dead and missing recruits following the Geewing Trials."

Jacques shook his head.

"Those trails were a mistake. Geewing was an inhospitable planet, and everyone had agreed that not even the strongest neophyte would have survived. But since you are standing here before him, that says otherwise."

The Grey Knight stared into Jakob's still embittered eyes, "You still resent my presence? I will only say this once…"

La'Jakob eyebrows raised slightly as Jacques sounded intense.

"In spite of everything I have said in regards to my standing in this universe and you do not think differently of me, be warned: You will not be rid of me so easy; as long as Krystal still walks in the material realm, I will be there. I have noticed how you two interacted back on the bridge of the Great Fox and I can assume you see her as someone upstanding."

Jakob lowered his eyebrows back into a frown, "I do. I still yet to understand completely as to why she continues to trust you with her life, now that the rest of you have decided to come here."

He then stepped before Jacques, still frowning up at Jacques, who likewise looked down at him.

"No matter what kind of person you are, no matter what you stand for in life," La'Jakob said, "I will still think of you and the Astartes as monsters. And if you are what Krystal says than you will be content with that."

Jacques looked away from him as he responded, "I am. I do not know what it will take for you to change your opinion on humanity."

La'Jakob lowered his head, eyes downcast and said softly, "Best you do not find out. Goodbye, Jacques Mortensen."

With that La'Jakob walked away, rejoining his Tau compatriots and already discussing with them O'Shovah's orders, to which they immediately felt intrigue and discomfort towards. Jacques shook his head and tried to move his right arm, realizing that it wasn't there. He sighed and tried to think of something other than the Gue'vesa whom he can't find a connection with.

His parents, and more specifically his mother, and why Calgar and possibly the whole of the Chapter, seemed eager to cover it up. It was the first time he had seen the Lord Macragge look or act nervous, and quite frankly it was really unsettling. But not as unsettled as Jacques already was after hearing about his mother's fate from none other than a Chaos Lord.

'The Inquisition killed her,' Jacques thought.

----------

'_They_ killed Jacques' mother,' Fox thought, staring angrily over at Calgar, his Honor Guard, Cassius and Tigerius as they boarded the Thunderhawk and took off from the surface of the planet and up towards the atmosphere, where the rest of the 1st Company would follow soon after.

'Knowing humanity, they probably killed his dad as well,' the vulpine was becoming more embittered as he sat on the ground outside the Cornerian bunker, Eden in his hands and the point sticking into the ground as he sat contemplative. 'Then they _had_ to kill his foster family, blow up his home world and indoctrinate him.'

He then clinched his right fist to his face in anger.

'Andross killed my father, and it was a show for that topknotted mass-murderer himself, and that ape was a Chaos worshipper. Goddamn you, Peppy…'

He heard the bunker door open and O'Reilly step out to see him, so he finished his mental ranting.

'…anything else you're hiding from me? Probably something to do with why both our lives were messed up from day one.'

"McCloud," the Cornerian dog colonel greeted with a smile and a cigarette in his mouth. He looked up at the sky to see the sun shining through the gray clouds, "Tcch….funny…"

Fox looked over his shoulder at him as O'Reilly exhaled smoke out of his mouth.

"…weird how Solar finally decides to shine now that we've kicked those cult freaks' power armored asses."

Fox shrugged, "Yeah, weird."

O'Reilly saw how hunched over and uncomfortable he was.

"Don't worry your head about Lombardi," O'Reilly changed his tune, "The docs are taking a look at him. They saw they might be able to reattach his leg…"

"_Might_?"

"Well…if not," O'Reilly stood beside the sitting vulpine, looking out over the Imperial Guard formation setting themselves up for transport, "His new leg will come with factory warranty."

"Prosthetics?" Fox grimaced, "Wouldn't it take a month of rehabilitation to just stand on it?"

"Nah, only of he's lucky," O'Reilly explained, "Depending on how well the war is going, he's got about a week until we need him. Military protocol regarding human incursion demands all available hands, even the wounded and the incarcerated."

Fox nodded and said bitterly, "Yeah…I know. So what now?"

"Now? No word from General Hare yet, but I imagine he'd want all Cornerian forces on MacBeth to hold their stations and protect it from any attempted counterattack," O'Reilly explained further, "Guess you and the Imperium's gonna have all the fun."

Fox frowned, "Yeah….fun."

O'Reilly obviously sensed that Fox didn't want to talk to him at the moment. He decided to leave him to his own devices.

"I'll just get outta here, now. Take care of yourself and your team, mercenary."

O'Reilly then disappeared back into the bunker, just in time for Krystal to step into Fox's point of view. He looked up to see that she had a look of disappointment upon her face.

"Krystal?"

The vixen looked at him and nodded, acknowledging his presence.

"What's up?"

She shook her head and shrugged, "Nothing."

She then looked back at him wryly, noticing something was amidst with him now, "Something's wrong, isn't there?"

"Mind if I lie to you?"

"No."

"Damn it."

He shook his head and stared at his feet. Genuinely concerned, Krystal caressed his left cheek, expressions playing on her face that let Fox know that she was willing to listen to whatever he had to say, and to support him and in any and every way possible.

"I'm was just thinking," they both sat down, hand clasped around each other, "About that vision…about my dad…and Peppy…"

Krystal swallowed and shuddered, "It…may have been false, Fox. It could have been Ezekiel just trying to throw it off."

Fox shook his head, "No…he was killed by Chaos, I'm sure. With the human's history in Lylat and everything about those Daemon Gates scattered around Lylat…it just might be true. Krystal…"

Krystal noticed tears in the corner of his eyes.

"…if anything happened to you."

Krystal was quick to throw herself into his arm and give him the most passionate kiss she could manage. That completely blew Fox's mind and he fought against the urge to push her off himself and continue talking, but he delayed for at least half-a-minute, sharing himself with Krystal in that time. When they pulled back, Krystal's head was against his chest, hearing his heart beat.

"You won't lose me, Fox," Krystal vowed softly, eyes closed, "Don't even start thinking about that. You'll never lose me."

Fox rested his chin on the back of her head, tears still falling from his eyes. He shook his head again.

"No."

Krystal's eyes shot open.

"I…I can't…I mean, I love you so much…I can't let it go on anymore."

Krystal pulled back so that they can stared at each other, and Fox was becoming more of a wreck by each passing second. Krystal's eyes widened as she felt her heart beat hard against her chest in fear and anticipation.

"Fox…wha…what are you saying?"

What the vulpine said next would ultimately set the stage for all future events in the War against Abaddon's 13th Black Crusade, and how it's fighters would see each other for what the other was worth. And with Fox in regards to Krystal, to him she was fragile.

"I want you to stand down from the team."


	23. Chapter 20: Into the Unknown

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

_A/N: Here is it, the final chapter…_

* * *

Chapter 20 – Towards the Unknown

* * *

_Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst._  
_**- Quote, Tactica Imperium**_

Lying on a surgical table in the Apothecarium of the Battle Barge Emperor Incarnatus out of armor and only in his scarred carapace, Jacques fiddled with his crystal necklace in his right hand as the Apothecary, assisted by his medicae servitors, worked to reattach his left arm. No sign of discomfort was on the Grey Knight's face despite the amount of beep and whirring that came from the medical equipment, which was complimented by the sound of flesh, bone and nerve being connected and melded into his severed limb.

What felt like an electrical charged passed through Jacques, causing his left arm to spasm suddenly, dropping the necklace onto the clean, metal floor. He looked up at the bright down light shining down on him and sighed. He looked over at the Apothecary, who looked up from tending to his reattached arm at him. The stump where his missing hand should be was replaced with what appeared to be a large plug.

"Try to move your arm, brother."

Jacques did so, managing to slowly move it upwards albeit with feelings of electricity running up and down it's nerves. He disregarded his reattached him to try and reach for the necklace on the ground with his left arm, only to see Cassius standing before him, holding his necklace in his large left gauntlet. The way he held Krystal's gift made Jacques wince slightly, with the movements of the Master of Sanctity gauntlet to suggest he was going to grind it to dust.

Realising Jacques' reactions Cassius inquired, "I saw you reach out for _this_ while the Chaos Lord had you pinned back on MacBeth's grey soil."

He then pointed at his reattached right arm.

"The beast-xeno vixen cried out and you lost your arm, now having been reattached thanks to the efforts of our Brother-Apothecary here, the one who bears the helix on his pauldron."

Jacques leaned his back, closed his eyes, and sighed inwardly, "You know of the bond I share with the Cerinian Princess, Brother-Chaplain, Master of Sanctity."

"It mystifies me as to how you believe you can serve both the Emperor and the last Cerinian female," Cassius said, "And why the Lord Macragge will not permit his Honour Guard to end your heretical existence once and for all."

Jacques frowned, "I mean you no disrespect, Brother-Chaplain, but do you recall the words of the Cerinian Seer from the 38th Millennium?"

"From the battle reports garnered from Captain Sicarius following Phase 1 of the Cerinian Conflict? Unfortunately" Cassius intoned, "It is pitiful to think the xeno-furs of that blue planet revered the coming of the Imperium. And even more pitiful that the High Lords had thoughts of debating whether to reclassify Cerinians as abhumans rather than xenos…"

"For their biology is similar to humanity," the Apothecary added, recalling the words of an ancient xeno text he believed he unfortunately committed to memory, "We all know too well from the Chief Librarian concerning the Cerinians, Master of Sanctity."

"Thank you, Brother-Apothecary," Cassius said, "But the most troubling of all is that their so-called 'prophecy' really centred around _you_…"

He was interrupted when two more medical servitors entered the room, with Jacques' right gauntlet with attached storm bolter was wheeled in and brought before Jacques. The Grey Knight raised his eyebrows, looking on in confusion as the servitors brought the gauntlet over to the plug attached to the stump on his right arm. Cassius smirked.

"_That_…will be your bionic hand," Cassius said, "And a remainder of who laid 'claim' to you following Medusa II."

Jacques grimaced, "My Aegis armour and the wards beneath my skin are 'reminder' enough."

Things then became silent between the Chaplain and the Grey Knight. He felt another jolt of electricity as his bionic hand/gauntlet was attached to his stump. He felt the impulse to wiggle his fingers, which they did. Cassius watched silently as he raised his right arm upwards and clenched his hand/gauntlet into a fist He stared at it for a long while, the only sounds to be heard were the whirring of medical equipment, servitors and Jacques' light breathing.

Jacques then turned to Cassius, "There is something you have the right to know, Brother-Chaplain?"

"What is that, Mortensen?"

"If you had taken Krystal's life if she had not preserved me," Jacques sounded emotionless, "I would have been happy to let you kill me too."

Cassius snorted in disgust, "So says the Man with Vulpine Eyes…the one to have been prophesied by the blue kemono to save them from extinction."

Jacques frowned, "Astrali's prophecy was not entirely flawed. Cerinia lives on through Krystal, and through her Cerinia has a chance to be reborn."

The Chaplain had to chuckle with amusement at that statement.

"Assuming, of course, that McCloud chooses to mate with the Cerinian."

"I have no doubt that Fox is in love with her," Jacques said firmly, "And Krystal in love with him?"

Cassius shook his head slowly, before inquiring, "But what if he were to reject her?"

He smiled, but to Jacques' detriment.

"Where does that leave you?"

Jacques tried moving himself off the table, but the Apothecary moved his hand to press him down and keep him from moving. He looked over at him to sense a wave of discontent aimed at him and he suddenly became still. He looked back at the Chaplain.

He frowned, "Do you know something?"

"Among many things," Cassius admitted, "It is best if you never find out."

"Why is that?"

"It will affect your judgement," Cassius responded, then added, "More so than usual."

Cassius then turned towards the entryway and begun walking out of the Apothecarium. Jacques narrowed his eyes, where he finally started to feel contempt for the Chalpain. He knew that the Highest Command of the Ultramarines was keeping something from him and that was beginning to disturb him. He knew they no longer trusted him as a 'devoted' servant of the Empreror but only as a good warrior, but if they were hiding something concerning his origins and pre-Eden history then he had the right to now. Did he not?

"I will just ask the Lord Macragge!" Jacques called out to Cassius as he retreated out of sight.

"I will not stop you," Cassius called back, "Just be ready to accept the same response."

----------

"Jakob?"

"Uhhhh…"

"La'Jakob?"

"Uh…wha…aw, not again…sorry…"

Tash sighed as he took the injector from Jakob's hands, pushing his braid back behind his head. Sitting behind a couple of crates, La'Jakob slowly and carefully picked himself up and back on his feet, feeling the environment around him heave and weave before and under him. He put his left hand to the side of his head as he fought back against the effects of his meds.

Tash's voice was distorted as he was asked, "How are you feeling, gue'la? Do you still feel drugged?"

"Give me…a few more seconds," Jakob said, slowly feeling the effects of his drug-induced sleep wear away. When he felt his mind recover, he immediately let loose a panicked cry.

"THE ATOMICS!"

Tash sighed and grabbed Jakob by his shoulder, gently shaking him, "They have been contained and are being transported right now."

"They are?"

The Tau nodded, "Yes. In fact, we had been assigned to guard the containment bay on board the Fang III Behemoth-class."

"Wha…? Oh, yes…of course."

La'Jakob recollected everything that had happened the past few hours, much to the protest of his aching head. After the battle on MacBeth he had first requested Star Fox, then the Cornerian fleet in orbit to be able to transport the Tau and the discovered nuclear weapons back to Venom. The former flatly refused, Jakob remembering the look of horror on Fox's face, but the later sounded almost happy to oblige. La'Jakob suspected it was fact that they had discovered untold millennia old nuclear warheads and the Cornerians were more than eager to use them against the daemonic enemy.

Jakob remembered the look of the weapons when they were transported out of the bunker by Cornerian hazmat teams onto the waiting shuttle to take them back to the fleet. Large, long yellow missile with black tips with the nuclear symbol slapped on the side of each missile. Next the rest of the Tau forces, Pathfinders and XV88 Crisis Suits, were herded on board the Cornerian starship en-route along with Star Fox and the Ultramarines back to Venom for debriefing while the Imperial Guard and regrouped Cornerian forces stayed to prep themselves for the next battle. He visibly shuddered when he remembered what came next.

O'Shovah assigned he and Tash the mission of guarding the doors leading into the containment bay where the warheads were being kept. Soon he had to take his meds and Tash had advised he do so behind some crates, and for the next couple of hours he endured a pained, drug-induced sleep, with his Tau friend keeping watch.

"You remember the look on that fox's face when you asked if the warheads could be transported on the Great Fox?" Task smirked slightly, "By T'au I thought he was going to pass out."

La'Jakob sat down on top of a crate and massaged both sides of his head, "Yes, he already appeared troubled when I, stupidly, asked him."

"Stupidly?"

Jakob looked at Tash closely, "I mean not to criticise, but what is O'Shovah thinking? Using weapons of mass destruction in a war to _preserve_ Lylat not blow it up."

"That's exactly it, Jakob," Tash said, crossing his arms and leaning against he containment doors, "You can't tell what Commander Farsight is thinking, nor when he will decide to betray us."

"Do you believe he will?" La'Jakob asked.

"Do you?"

La'Jakob became pensive for a minute. But before he can reply his communicator sprung to life. He answered.

"La'Jakob.!"

_Kindly ask La'Tash NOT to lean on the containment doors._

Tash suddenly leaned off away from the doors. La'Jakob glanced up at the security camera observing the area and mentally cringed, hoping that it was not pick up and audio, and therefore their conversation.

"Shas'O?" Tash said.

We are approaching the Venomian Defence Zone. Report to Hangar 4 and prep for transport and link with T'au forces on the surface.

"What about the nuclear warheads?" La'Jakob asked.

Leave them to the Cornerian authority. Out!

The cracking from the communicator as O'Shovah severed the connection stung La'Jakob eardrums.

"He didn't sound happy," La'Tash pointed out.

La'Jakob quickly hushed him with a quick movement of his wrist, then nudged his head towards the security camera as it pointed away from them as it scanned the area outside the door. La'Jakob groaned as he sat up from the crate rubbed the back of his aching head.

'McCloud indeed did not look happy when I saw him last,' La'Jakob thought, 'Here's hoping it's something he can resolve as soon as humanly possible.'

He then snorted.

'Humanly, heh. Spare me.'

----------

Peppy was fiddling his fingers together nervously as he paced up and down beside the long table in the boardroom, waiting for confirmation on the report that the Tau had indeed found that secret stash of atomic weapons beneath Mount Twirlenkiller on MacBeth. As he waited he couldn't help but think back to decades earlier and James McCloud…

'You just happened to mention Twirlenkiller as you were dosed to the eyeballs on painkillers,' Peppy thought sadly, 'That was so unlike you, James. But then again, Kryptmann did personally break both your legs by the time Farsight busted us both out of that fortress.'

He sat down at the northern end of the table and sighed…

'Gosh darn it,' he thought, 'I wish you were here, Vivian. I so wanted to tell you of my year in the human galaxy, but…I kept thinking of our daughter, whom I'm proud of and currently afraid for her life.'

He then rubbed his brow and sighed louder.

'Alexander, you better make sure nothing happens to Lucy. I'm not one to make threats, but…'

The communicator buzzed and he answered it.

"General Hare."

Sir, transmission from General Sturnn, MacBeth orbit.

"Patch it through."

The sound of static was heard, before Sturnn's familiar gravelly voice pierced the airways.

_Hare, I trust by now you know of our victory on MacBeth. The 12__th__ Company of the Emperor's Children of the fell legions of Chaos has being routed and the Pleasure Cults have been smashed._

"At least on MacBeth, anyway," Peppy commented, "I'm sure those cults still inhabit the other worlds under Chaos control, by the dozens if not at least a hundred. We're just about ready for a mass redeployment of all Cornerian army forces to nearest Chaos invasion zones."

All right…maybe the Lylatian military can defend their own system after all, especially with the atomics the Tau managed to scrounge up.

Peppy's adjusted his spectacles and sighed, "So the reports are true. The atomics left over from the Titania Conflict."

_Hopefully Cornerian Military Intelligence plans to use those weapons as a last resort, _Sturnn continued, _The last thing we need is our troops getting caught in a mushroom cloud…especially the Immortal Emperor's own divine forces._

"So what now for the 'Emperor's own divine forces'?"

_The next world under Chaos yoke will feel the Emperor's wrath shortly, _Sturnn replied, _Where we go next, make sure you have whatever Cornerian forces you have left there alerted to our presence._

"We will let them know," Peppy responded, then heard another beeping from the communicator, "Please, hold the line, General…"

He pressed another flashing button.

"Yes?"

Sir, we have detected two cruisers approaching the Venomian defence zone – One Behemoth-class and one Dreadnought class…

Peppy smiled a bit, "Fox…"

----------

'Stupid…stupid…stupid…so very fucking stupid,' Fox berated himself mentally over and over again as he paced in front of the holo-projector on the bridge of the Great Fox II, 'Well, that was some way to break it to Krystal, wasn't it McCloud?'

The vulpine waited, bordering impatience, for contact from Venomian/Cornerian command as the Great Fox II and the Cornerian starship approached the boundaries of Venom's orbital defence zone. Slippy was present one the bridge and watched him quietly, his hand scratching the stiches on his forehead, feeling the itch beginning to drive him crazy.

"Jeez, Fox," Slippy said, "You're making me dizzy."

Fox looked over his shoulder and shot back, "Oh, I'm sorry."

Taken back, Slippy stepped back against the nearest wall mounted terminal. Fox stood in his place and turned fully to face the frog.

"Er…you ok, Fox?"

Fox shook his head, "No, I'm not. And no…"

Slippy had opened his mouth to speak again.

"I…don't want to talk about it."

The holo-projector activated itself, revealing the disembodied head of Peppy, causing Slippy's eyes to light up with glee, and Fox to quickly spin around and straighten his vest and shirt.

_Fox?_ Peppy said, _Oh, thank God. It's good to see you're still in one piece._

"I know _I_ am," Fox said, "Falco isn't, as you already know."

Peppy nodded sadly, "I've read the reports. Don't worry, we'll be able to fit him with a cyber-prosthetic in short notice. You have my word."

"I always have," Fox smiled, "Now…"

_Slippy?_ Peppy suddenly blurted out, _Your face! What happened to you?_

Slippy scratched the back of his head and looked at his feet, feeling ashamed, "I…went through the Arwing's canopy, face first."

_Face first?  
_

"And survived," Slippy chuckled hesitantly, "Yeah, I'm pretty surprised myself."

Peppy cleared his throat and straightened his uniform collar, _Well…ahem…well it's good to see you managed to survive with the odds against you once again, Fox, Slippy. Report to me along with the atomics and the Tau and I'll debrief you personally._

Fox nodded, "You got it, General."

_One last thing, _Peppy inquired_, Where is Krystal? She is usually present during holo-conferances._

Fox's eyes widened, "Errr…"

He then sighed and rubbed his left arm uncomfortably, grimly.

"She's occupied right now…"

----------

Wincing slightly as her arm still ached in it's sling, Krystal felt her mind was amiss as she walked the main hallway of the Great Fox II, taking a left turn down another corridor and towards the Infirmary, intent on being the good teammate and check on Falco. Even though Katt had never left his side she thought it would be prudent if she checked on the _both_ of them. Katt had come close to passing out from stress piloting the Arwing during the battle and the vixen hoped she would remedy herself for it.

Before she walked through the door into the Infirmary she thought of how Fox had asked her to step down from the team. Before he could continue it was as if fate had decided to give them a reprieve La'Jakob had interrupted (apologising for doing so as well) and asked if they could assist in moving atomic weaponry back to Venom. The look on Fox's face was something that Krystal wasn't going to forget in a long while, the same went for La'Jakob's look of regret for asking such a question.

She stepped through into the Infirmary to find Katt sitting on a stool next to the gurney where Falco laid. Strapped to a IV drip the avian was conscious and was talking to the feline, the both of them immediately looked up to see the approaching vixen, who smiled comfortingly at them.

"Heya, Rupee," Falco muttered with a smile, "Didn't think you'd come to see old Falco finally flat on his back, eh?"

Krystal's smile faded. She frowned, "Excuse me?"

The avian chuckled, "Sorry…still feeling under from this so-called 'morphine' those Imperial pricks jabbed into my arm. Shit…don't tell Katt about this, right?"

Katt then narrowed her eyes in annoyance and cleared her throat. Falco then turned to face her, and cringed sheepishly.

"Don't worry," Katt mumbled, biting her lip in mock anger, "_I_ won't ever know."

Krystal chuckled slightly and shook her head, "Well, this is what I would call 'awkward'."

Katt looked over at her and smiled, "Nah…you were just checking up on the clipped bird. Now if only…"

She then reached over and pinched him on the cheek, eliciting a slight 'ow' from the bedridden avian.

"…he would learn to be more polite."

"Aw, c'mon," Falco pleaded as he stared at her smirking face, "Ain't my fault I've lost everything under my knee."

Chuckling some more, Krystal turned to leave.

"Hey, wait…"

Krystal stopped and turned to face Katt, who appeared serious.

"Is everything alright with you and Fox?" Katt asked, concerned, "Last I saw he looked like he asking you to push off."

Krystal sighed and stepped out of the Infirmary, not answering the question. Confused, Falco and Katt looked at one another.

"Guess that means _no_ and _yes_," Falco stated, "Respectively."

----------

The Great Fox II, the Emperor Incarnatus and the Cornerian starship were quick to be cleared and given permission to enter Venom's orbit once the planet's long-range sensors detected them. Immediately while the Battle-Barge held orbit, the Cornerian starship and the Great Fox II descended down towards the planet separately.

Everyone, sans Falco and Katt, was present on the bridge, with Krystal looking out the window back towards space as they made their descent.

"The Battle-Barge is holding orbit," Krystal pointed out, sounding worried, "Fox, you don't think…?"

She looked over at the vulpine to find him sitting down, staring at the holo-projector looking bored. Krystal looked at him oddly.

"Fox?"

He didn't turn his head to face her. At first she continued to look worried, then she frowned and before she had the chance to raise her voice, Slippy approached her.

"Er…Krystal," Slippy sheepishly said, "I don't think he's talking to anyone at the moment."

Shocked, Krystal stuttered, "B…but, I…Jacques…"

"Relax, quit worrying about him," Slippy reassured her, suddenly sounding chirpy, "Honestly, you're beginning to sound like his wife…"

He suddenly heard Fox clear his voice loudly and he immediately kept quiet. He looked over and noticed Fox's left eye swivel at him, a frown upon his face.

Turning back to Krystal, Slippy whispered, "Is everything alright between you two?"

Krystal shook her head as she looked over at him silently, noticing Fox still sitting there, resting his right elbow on the arm rest and his head on his right fist, not paying attention to her or Slippy.

"I…don't know…" Krystal uttered.

----------

The two Ultramarine Honour Guards near the massive ornate twin doors into the Inner Sanctum of the Emperor Incarnatus drew their gladius swords as Jacques approached, fully in armour and with Nemesis sheathed on his back. Krystal's necklace in his left hand, where he hadn't sought to put it back on yet. He looked at the two Guards and became cautious.

"Halt, Mortensen," one of the Guards cried, raising a hand towards him, "Stay your ground."

Jacques frowned, "I was told to come here."

"That you have," the other Guard said, "But not before you have your armour and weapons stripped off you for the purpose of security."

Before he could argue compartments in the walls opened, revealing Servitors, which hobbled over towards the Grey Knight. With a exasperated sigh he stretched his arms as they begun removing the armour fragments off his body, one of them removing his sword and another detaching the storm bolter off his gauntlet/hand. This left him naked except for a blue loincloth.

Sounding defiant, Jacques asked, "Must I take my loincloth off as well?"

The Honour Guards looked at one another, their eyes displaying their silent amusement, then they looked at the physically scarred man. They stood aside and the doors opened slowly, revealing the massive room behind them and the Lord Macragge situated on his throne some distance away. He stepped through the doorway, which closed behind them, and begun his long walk towards Calgar.

All the while he noticed the Acolytes standing in the shadows near the edges of the dimly lit room, chanting in High Gothic as he walked. He felt no intimidation or worry for his being, or of his surroundings. Rather he revelled in it, mostly because of the Indoctrination, which was still embedded in a part of his mind.

Once he was before Calgar…

"Hold, Mortensen."

…Tigerius cried as he stepped out from the back of the throne, Force Staff in hand.

"I know what you tend to ask the Lord Macragge, Mortensen," Tigerius stated, standing at the right side of the seated Calgar, "Think about it carefully before you demand the truth."

Calgar frowned, "What truth is that, Jacques Mortensen?"

Not feeling hesitant for a second the stripped Grey Knight slash Ultramarine clasped his hands behind his back as stated…

"You tried to have McCloud's father killed."

Calgar narrowed his eyes tiredly, "Aye, I did. What of it?"

"Why?" Jacques asked, "What purpose would James McCloud's death have served? How is it that he bound to me?"

Tigerius glanced over at Calgar, doubt cast over his withered features. Calgar, however, was unshaken by Jacques' _inquisitive_ nature, which to the Lord Macragge was considered irony.

"He had knowledge of the experiments and procedures that had brought you to existence," Calgar explained, "What you heard from O'Donnell was indeed true. You were conceived as part of the Ordo Xenos' experimentations into crafting the perfect alien-hunting Space Marine in order to compliment their Deathwatch legions."

Jacques felt a chill go down his back as he thought about the black-armoured Space Marine, composed of the Space Marine from every chapter known for their extreme contempt for xeno and xeno-sympathiser alike. The mere thought of being involved with the Ordo Xenos, a.k.a Alien Hunters, was enough to make him physically sick, especially when it comes to his precious people.

Hell, with his promise to protect his precious people there would be no doubt he would have to fight against the Deathwatch one day.

"You look nervous, Jacques," Calgar rubbed his chin, "Are you certain you want to demand the truth from the person who saved you from the same Inquisitorial order that destroyed Eden?"

Jacques frowned, "I believe I am entitled to the truths surrounding my birth and upbringing."

"Yes, you _are_ entitled to know of your birthright," Calgar stated, "However, I must confess that out of personal concern…"

He leaned forward from his throne and rest his left elbow on his leg.

"You may not be able to handle the truth," the continued, "And that I am not the one to tell you, since I was not there when you were conceived."

"Then who was?"

"The late James McCloud and Peppy Hare," Tigerius explained, "And I believe they would not want you to know, either. Out of personal concern for your psyche, that is."

Jacques was starting to feel tired of all this hesitation.

"Why do you all show 'concern' for me?" Jacques demanded, voice raised, "Why do you persist in hiding whatever truth there is about me?"

Calgar stood from his throne and exclaimed, "For we had lost you to the xeno from the very beginning! The circumstances surrounding your birth were malicious, and to tell the truth, unnatural."

"Yes," Tigerius stated, "And besides, we are beginning to doubt your loyalty to the Emperor and the Chapter which took you in…"

Jacques found himself feeling defensive, "You should not! I _am_ loyal to the Emperor, the Ultramarines and the preservation of humanity."

"Coming from you that is little assurance," Tigerius pointed out, "For if you were to find out, you would believe that your loyalty would have been misplaced."

"Most unlikely," Jacques said, "What would make you think I would believe my loyalty is ever in doubt."

Calgar looked at him sternly, "Well…if you wish to know the truth, then talk to General Hare. But I warn you…"

He balled his armoured gauntlets into tight fists. Though they were currently not within the bounds of the massive Fists of Ultramar, they could still be considered threatening to anyone of a nervous deposition, which wasn't the case for Jacques. Even when he suddenly noticed several boltguns now trained on him from Honour Guards emerging from behind the massive marble pillars lining the room leading to Calgar's throne from the door.

"…I warn you. Unless we are convinced otherwise that your loyalties to humanity will not be altered in any way from you learning the intimate circumstance you were born, you will be cast out of the Chapter," Calgar continued with a loud voice that was peppered with authority.

"It will be then that humanity under the Emperor's light will finally despise you," Cassius said as he approached Jacques from behind, the Grey Knight not turning to face to him, his back to the Chaplain, "You may still have the Children of Eden and the xeno under your thumb, but in all regards…the Warriors of Ultramar will finally have reason to hate you."

Jacques sighed loudly, his hand that held Krystal's necklace balling into a fist, gripping the chian tightly as the emerald hung loosely from his hand. With his other hand he ran it over his head in a tired manner.

"You seek to question my loyalty?" Jacques said, "I admit it is torn between my comrades and humanity…but I say to you now…"

He appeared determined as he put the necklace on before everybody present, much to Cassius' chagrin as he moved to be at Calgar's left hand.

"…I _am_ loyal to the Emperor of Mankind." Jacques, "For on that day of Eden's demise, it is he that told me to take the path I have chosen."

Calgar nodded, "Just like you told me that moment I scooped up your battered youthful form from the arms of your wolfen lover."

Jacques downcast his eyes as he replied, "_She_ was not my lover."

"And what of the Cerinian Princess?" Cassius inquired, "Is she to replace what you lost? To hopefully share with her what you and the she-wolf would have shared?"

Looking away as if in shame, he turned his back on the throne and the Space Marines standing there, "You can believe that as well if you like. I do not feel for her that way."

Jacques then began to walk away from them towards the chamber entrance. Cassius smiled and called out, clapping his hands loudly as he did so.

"Do you remember the writings of the xeno seer known as Astrali, Mortensen?"

Jacques paused, and looked over his shoulder as he recanted from memory, "'In a time of conflict, we will be aided by unlikely saviours not of our world. Warriors, priests and knights shall arrive from distant stars, a Man with Vulpine Eyes amongst them. With armour, sword, fire and faith, they will stand beside us against the growing Darkness and the Void, though not always of their own will, and ensure through martial strength that only Light prevails.'"

He then finished off.

"From 'Premonitions of the Future', by the seer Jaada Astrali."

"Yes," Cassius said, "Now…I wonder if she would have predicted _this_."

He pointed towards the northern edges of the room, an area shrouded in darkness. Light footsteps could be heard as something approached the light generated by the lamps in the room slowly. Jacques' eyes widened as he recognized the shuffling pattern of the way those footsteps were made, panic evident on his face.

"No!"

Cassius took silent pleasure as what revealed to Jacques shocked him immensely. It was a male Cerinian warrior, still dressed in his now tattered battle-dress consisting of a silver loincloth with armor shards over his shoulders, elbows, knees and extremities. His blue, blood-stained fur looked like it was covered in mange, his still-impressive muscles had lost some of it's tone and most disturbing of all…mechanical implants and apparatuses found in Servitors were attached all over his body, especially his skull.

Jacques felt himself swamped head to toe with complete and utter devastation, causing him to fall to his knee. He would have toppled over completely if he hadn't had kept himself up with his left hand flat on the marble floor. His eyes were clenched tightly as he held back a sob which threatened his leave his mouth as he felt his emotional barriers crumble in his mind.

"If we do win this war," Cassius explained again, "If Chaos is defeated, what hope is there for the xeno that survives when they find themselves surrounded by the Imperial forces that drove the Ruinous Powers back into Warp for them?"

Jacques looked over the Chaplain angrily, and choked out, "You…dared…!"

"We did not do that to _him_," Cassius pointed his power mace at him, "After fleeing Cerinia in a xeno transport craft he went as far as Kew trying to exact revenge for the destruction of Cerinia. He blamed us; he thought we were all based on Kew. He landed on the planet…"

He then snorted and rolled his eyes in boredom inside his helm.

"…and managed to kill a hundred Planetary Defence Force volunteers before he was captured by the Adeptus Mechanicus detachment there and…well, as you can see, they thought he was valuable alive then a corpse strapped to a power grid. Now remember this…"

He sounded more sinister now.

"…when you continue to feel conflicted of your loyalties, and when you continue to believe that man can exist alongside the xeno. The truth is standing there before you, half-starving and with what little mind he has left he wishes for death."

Jacques exhaled painfully as he stood back up, the grisly display before him continuing to etch at his emotional defences slowly and painfully. All this time Calgar and Tigerius watched silently, lifting no finger to put an end to this exhibition, opting only to see how Jacques would keep his resolve under such gruesome pressure.

'This may be the only time his emotions finally run rampant,' Tigerius thought, 'I pray that it is.'

Jacques stepped up the male Cerinian, a look of pity upon his face as he stared down at the once-graceful, strong Cerinian warrior, now a lobotomised wretch who just kept looking straight ahead at Jacques, with the life gone from his eyes. To the Grey Knight this left nothing but a husk that all Servitors and other poor victims of this inhumane, vile practice have in common.

The Marine moved his hand to both sides of the Cerinian's neck, with Calgar and Tigerius watching in anticipation as to what he would do neck. Jacques bowed his head, closing his eyes in silent prayer.

"Forgive us," Jacques said, "For we humans are wretched creatures. For I had no idea you survived Cerinia, only to be reduced to this…husk. This is the least I can do for you."

He opened his eyes and without battering an eyelid and with one swift motion he twisted the Cerinian's head till it broke, killing him instantaneously. He let the body fall to the ground, Jacques looking down at the body, shame playing on his face.

Jacques turned to face Calgar and Tigerius.

"Would you do the same for the Cerinian Princess?" Tigerius inquired, "If the time should come she faces a similar fate?"

Jacques looked away from him at the floor, eyes closed tightly. He sighed and looked up, replying, "I would do whatever it takes to make sure that does not happen."

"But what if it does?"

Jacques frowned and stated with finality, "It _will_ not."

Turning around he walked straight towards the chamber door, noticing the boltguns aimed at him but choosing to ignore them. Tigerius waved them down as he and the Lord Macragge watched him leave silently and grimly.

The Chief Librarian turned to his Lord Macragge, "Do you regret sparing him from Eden's flames now, Brother?"

Calgar frowned, "You would like me to say 'yes', would you Brother-Librarian?"

'I would,' Cassius thought.

"I prefer you not," Tigerius replied, overhearing Cassius' thoughts with embitterment, "For some strange reason I believe the Seer Astrali's words indeed hold merit."

"That remains to be seen, Brother-Librarian. That remains to be seen," Calgar said, "Now…have Mortensen put on the Thunderhawk and spirited back to his…_friends_."

----------

The massive Cornerian Behemoth-class wedged it's way slowly through the massive automated hangar doors situated on six football fields worth of flat earth, revealing the massive underground hangar, where dozens of small Venomian cruisers were in dry dock. Support personnel scrambled, with Hazmat teams mingling amongst them as they pushed their way to the ship's cargo doors in order to ascertain it's destructive cargo.

The Tau left the ship through the ship's side entryway reserved solely for personnel. With O'Shovah in the lead, Pathfinder and Shas'vre stepped off the ship, many of them lugging their equipment behind them. La'Jakob and the Pathfinders kept close to one another, the human helping another move a crate full of com equipment. He noticed O'Shovah making conversation with a mastiff in army uniform.

"Commander Shovah?" Colonel Mick stretched his hand forward.

"Standing right before you," O'Shovah replied, shaking the dog colonel's hand.

"First things first," Mick smiled widely, baring his sharp teeth, "You kicked some serious skinny ass back there. Somehow I feel a lot safer now we've taken back at least one planet."

"It's only the beginning, mind you," O'Shovah reported, returning the smile, "I assume you are here to direct us to the Infinity."

Mick snapped his fingers and a small detachment of Cornerian soldiers in blue sentry plate armour approached them, blaster rifles slung over their shoulder.

"Just follow the guys in blue," Mick pointed at them, "Your battle suits and equipment will be waiting for you in the Tau hangar.

"Thank you. Follow, cadre!"

The Tau shuffled past the Colonel, where he briefly made eye contact with La'Jakob, who had overheard his 'skinny' remark, but wasn't affected in any meaningful way and didn't seek to confront him about it. He just nodded in Mick's direction as he passed him, leaving the Colonel scratching his head.

'Heh, a human not bitten by the zealot bug,' Mick thought amused, 'Bet he's trying to suck up to Mortensen'

----------

Some miles away in a separate hangar located in the mountain where central command was located and the majority of the refugee camps, Team Star Fox stepped off the Great Fox. All were accounted for, even Falco, who was now on crutches with Katt close by, ready to lend her lover a hand at the first sing of him about to topple over.

"Gee, Falco…you look ready to keel over," Slippy pointed out, "Did the Imperial dope you up enough?"

"Not enough," Falco retorted, slightly slurring, "I'm still conscious and feeling like absolute shit."

"Think you should lie down a bit longer?" Katt asked, sternly albeit concerned.

Falco spat to the side and snorted, "No way. If the old hare's gonna spill some more history regarding fucking humanity I wanna hear it."

Fox rolled his eyes as he thrust his hands into his pockets as he hunched over slightly, eyes downcast, 'God, he sounds worse than the morning after shore leave.'

Krystal saw that he was trying to keep himself from her. When she briefly looked into his eyes before they docked, she saw that he was ashamed of what he had said to her, which he wanted her to step down from the team. Fox not talking to her hurt worse than any physical pain ever could, and she decided to ease the pain.

She stepped up to him from behind and started, "Fox…"

"SLIPPY!"

They all jumped when they heard that familiar, slightly squeaky voice. Falco groaned slightly as he recognised the voice that only belonged to Amanda, Slippy fiancee. The pink frog with the yellow ribbon pushed her way through the hangar guards and almost tackled Slippy to the floor.

"God," she sobbed into his chest, "You're ok, you're OK! Thank God, you're OK! I was having terrible dreams the second you left for…"

She recovered herself and noticed the stiches on his face. Her eyes widened and she practically screamed loud enough to make everybody's ear drums hurt.

"YOUR FACE! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE? TELL ME!"

Falco grimaced as he moved his lower beak in his mouth to make his eardrums pop back to normal, "Jeez laweez, you're not married yet. Quit fussin', will ya?"

Fox groaned and cried, "Look, we need to see General Hare right now! Could someone please direct us."

A Cornerian dog officer approached Fox and saluted, "That's what I'm here for, sir. If you can just follow me."

Fox nodded, "Gladly."

The roar of the Thunderhawk pierced through the hanger's airwaves as it flew through the still open hangar doors from outside and docked right next to the Great Fox II out of Team Star Fox's eyeshot, drawing the team's attention and causing the officer to cringe and swallow nervously. The Thunderhawk then surprisingly took and departed quickly, leaving whomever it dropped off obscured by the Great Fox II.

When that individual stepped into view onto the platform and walked towards them away from the Great Fox II they could see that it was Jacques. Immediately Krystal eyes brightened and she couldn't hold back a wide smile of happiness, which Fox didn't miss.

"Jacques!" she called out.

Her smile faded when it seemed he didn't seem to acknowledge her, as if he was preoccupied. She suddenly noticed Amanda already getting up at him…

"HEY!" Amanda cried out as she hobbled before him, trying to get his attention, "HEY, HUMAN! I'M TALKING TO YOU? WHAT DID YOU DO TO SLIPPY?"

"Amanda!" Slippy grabbed her by the arm and pulled out of Jacques' way, "The heck d'ya think you're doing?"

"Hey!" Falco cried, "Where you going, Jacques?"

The Grey Knight just passed right by them and exited the hanger, much to their surprise, especially Krystal. She couldn't remember any time that he never responded to her when she called out his name, and that immediately made her feel confused, and misguided.

"Where's he going?" Falco turned to Fox, "He just plan right ignored us."

Fox shook his head and sighed loudly, "I…just…don't know any more…"

Falco's face fell flat. He narrowed his eyes and snorted quietly in disgust.

----------

The moment O'Shovah and his bodyguards stepped into the conference hall on the Infinity, Aun'shi was immediately before him, with the Tau Water Caste personnel standing in the background, not wanting to be part of the Ethereal's rage and instead just watching…

O'Shovah appeared bored as Aun'shi said with his voice raised, "Commander Farsight, this time for sure you have gone too far!"

The Shas'O asked plainly, "Whatever do you mean?"

"We just heard over the communication lines between Venom and MacBeth that you have uncovered Cornerian Atomic weaponry!" Aun'shi exclaimed, "Do you realise what raw power, unstable power we know possess?"

"I do," O'Shovah replied, smiling slightly, "And I bask it in, seeing that it can bring death to our enemies."

Aun'shi ran his left hand across his face in frustration, "Did not the events surrounding the Marquis above one of our septs give us first hand the potential devastation such weapons could unleash. If McCloud and Hare's words ring truth, then they would make the Lylat uninhabitable. There would no hope of allowing them to embrace the Greater Good…"

He noticed O'Shovah looking at him oddly.

"…afterwards."

A few seconds passed, before O'Shovah asked, "Is that all?"

Aun'shi eyes widened as the Shas'O walked towards him in a threatening matter. The T'au guards nearby aimed their pulse rifles at him, but were waved down by Aun'shi. The Ethereal defiantly stood his ground as O'Shovah stood over him. Though he was only at least a metre taller, he appeared imposing towards the elder Tau.

"Tell me, Honourable Ethereal," O'Shovah said, "Who saved you from those unenlightened pirates just near the Warp tear connecting our space and outside the Lylat?"

Aun'shi looked at him bewildered.

"You did," Aun'shi asked.

"Yes. Now…tell me who was brave enough to personally lead the assault against the Marquis and dispose of his atomic weapon?"

"You did."

"Again, I must ask: Who saved McCloud and our human helper Lucille Mortensen from certain death at the hands of the notorious human Inquisition?"

"You."

"Who suggested that we try to bring enlightenment to the next galaxy…starting with Lylat?"

"It was you."

"The one to have argued for that temporary peace between Tau and the Ultramarines many years ago?"

"You?"

"And finally: Who agreed to turn himself over to Aun'va himself once his mission was complete here in Lylat."

The Ethereal frowned, "You."

O'Shovah smiled wider, "Thank you for clarifying all that with me, Honourable Ethereal."

La'Jakob and La'Tash stepped into the chamber as Aun'shi asked, his eyes darting toward the gue'la, "Just what do you seek here besides enlightenment, Commander?"

O'Shovah smirked and turned to face La'Jakob, "You shall see soon enough, Ethereal. Now, La'Jakob…"

Jakob eyebrows raised stood to attention as O'Shovah walked over towards him.

"Or should that be…Ui'Jakob?"

The Water Diplomats all appeared alarmed as they begun chattering amongst one another. Aun'shi appeared intrigued as he faced the young human. Tash stepped away from his friend as O'Shovah approached him, and put a friendly hand on his shoulder. La'Jakob felt himself surprisingly tense.

"Me and the Ethereal have been talking, and considering your bravery and leadership following the unfortunate passing of your Shas'Ui. As already a first for humanity for joining the ranks of the Fire Caste, we have decided to make you another first."

"What is that, Shas'O?"

"Did you not hear me before?" O'Shovah continued, "Ui'Jakob?"

The Gue'vesa felt his breath catch itself in his throat, "You…you are promoting me?"

"And feel pride because of it," O'Shovah stated, "You can be forgiven just this once."

Jakob couldn't hold the smile back from his face, especially when he looked over at Aun'shi and appeared confused. Aun'shi just smiled and nodded, and at that moment he did feel pride swell up inside himself. Even Tash looked proud.

'Perhaps our suspicions regarding the Commander are unfounded,' La'Jakob, now Ui'Jakob, thought.

His smile faded, which was visible to everyone present.

'No, once again I cannot think like that,' he mentally disciplined himself, 'No matter how much I advance humanity alongside the Greater Good, I must stay vigilant.'

He then mused to himself.

'Besides…is that not what Shas'O Shovah has said?'

----------

Peppy sat alone at the head of the table in the conference room as he waited for his former team to grace themselves with their presence. He tapped both sides of his head with his pointer fingers all the while, bracing himself for what their first major battle with the denizens of the neighbouring galaxy would have done to them physically, mentally and mostly spiritually.

If his experiences from decades ago taught him anything it was that when facing against the Forces of Disorder, there is a chance that the first, mere sight of them is enough to drive even the most stalwart Lylatian kemono soldier insane. Though his battle with Chaos had been merely restricted to a small cult he, James and Pigma had came across the mere sight of the Lost and the Damned had mad the pig squeal louder and run for cover, away from their blood-stained Guardsman uniforms and occult symbols.

The door opened and Peppy stood to greet…Jacques Mortensen.

"Jacques?" Peppy sounded surprised, "What are you doing here?"

The Grey Knight frowned and stepped into the room, the door closing behind him. "You called for Star Fox to meet you. I assume I am still part of the team, am I not?"

Peppy smiled and sat back down, "You still are, son. Where are…?"

"Some distance behind me," Jacques said, interrupting the old rabbit, "While they take the time to arrive here, it was give us that chance to talk."

Peppy felt uncomfortable with Jacques' eerily behaviour, "What about?"

"You, and James McCloud."

Peppy swallowed, "Fox's father."

"Yes," Jacques nodded, frowning as he approached the table.

He leaned over placed both his hands on the black metal furniture, peering across towards Jacques. While he could just examine Peppy's mind for the answer, he believed the he owed the aging kemono courtesy, seeing as how he was practically the first person beside Krystal to accept him onto the team that year ago with any reservations whatsoever.

"What do you wish to know about us?" Peppy asked, "Besides being best friends since our Academy days."

Jacques relaxed his frowning state, "Is it true that you ventured into Segmentum Ultima a year before I was born?"

Peppy sighed, "Yes, we did. It's a long story…"

And so Peppy took the time to tell of Star Fox's tour through the human-dominated galaxy after the crazed Venomian noble and his stolen atomic, with Jacques paying heed to each word the elder hare had to say. Peppy thought he saw him shudder when he mentioned the Inquisitor known as Kryptmann and how he had tortured James on two occasions.

"Kryptmann," Jacques muttered softly.

Peppy looked at him thoughtfully, "Do you recognise the name?"

Jacques nodded, looking pensive, "The foremost expert on xenos, particulary Tyranids. He was responsible for destroying Eden and killing my friends."

'Just to get you back,' Peppy thought, equally sad, 'Millions of innocent people died, all over finding you.'

"But _your_ story intrigues me very much," Jacques commented, "What was the purpose of holding you captive?"

Peppy shook his head, face down and focusing on his notes before him on the table, "I…don't think I should tell you."

"Why?"

"We made an oath," Peppy explained, "That me and James would never tell this story again…oh, wait…"

He clearly looked embarrassed as he looked up at Jacques.

"I've told the same story to Fox, seeing as how his father is dead and that humanity has stepped over our doorstep, so no actual harm done," Peppy explained, "But…I don't think I should tell _you_."

"But _why_?" Jacques now sounded both eager and bitter, "There are too many secrets being kept from me, and I am not one to abuse my psychic gifts in prying into my comrades' minds to find out for myself."

"I know," Peppy agreed, "I know you, Jacques. Even for those three months face to face, I feel like I've known you for much of my life."

Surprised, Jacques asked, "How?"

Peppy sighed again and scratched the back of his head, "By now I'm sure Calgar has told you how he tried to have me and James murdered by Wolf O'Donnell, there's reasons for that I'm not sure if I should tell you."

"Because it would mean your life?" Jacques asked.

"No," Peppy shook his head, "It's because of how you would respond to it."

"How would I respond to it?"

Peppy stood from his seat as he continued, "You were right…people are keeping too many secrets from you. It's about time you started learning the truth, as it concern both you and Fox."

"Fox?"

"What I want to tell you, I don't think you should tell Fox," Peppy said cautiously, "I know how he'll react. He'll resent his father for keeping such a big secret from him, and even more because…well…"

He looked at Jacques, growing ever more cautious by the second.

"Do you want to know how fit into both Fox's, James' and, by extension, my history and that of Star Fox?"

Jacques crossed his arms and frowned, "I will not think any of you different once I start receiving answers, if it concerns my past."

Peppy thought he was holding his breath, so he exhaled loudly and sat down.

"It _does_ concern your past. I'll tell you, then," Peppy said, "Now, how should I…?"

He tapped his forehead as Jacques stood outside the table, growing impatient as Peppy thought of how he should deliver such scalding revelation. The rabbit then smiled lightly.

"Alright," Peppy begun, "Thirty-eight years ago, Kryptmann used James'…"

He groaned in annoyance as the door opened and in stepped Fox. Peppy downcast his eyes while Jacques stepped out of the way, allowing Fox to take his seat. Fox looked at both Jacques and Peppy, confused.

"Um…" Fox bit his lip, "Did I interrupt something?"

"No," they both said, then glanced at each other bewildered at this interruption…this annoying twist of fate.

Fox looked at them wryly, and before he could act on his confusion Falco and Katt walked (and limped) in, followed by Krystal, Slippy and Amanda. They all sat at the right side of the table, with Falco needing some help sitting down as he placed his crutches against the wall. This prompted Jacques to step over to the other side of the table and stand there.

Peppy smiled and looked over at Falco, "It's good to see that _everyone_ could make it."

Falco smirked, then winced painfully as he pointed downward at his bandaged stump, "Not in one piece here, you know. And by the way…"

He gritted his teeth slightly.

"…gonna need more painkillers."

"Big baby," Katt muttered.

Fox glanced over at Jacques, standing there and not returning his glance as he focused only on Peppy.

"You said you wanted to Team Star Fox, General?" Fox reminded him, "Here we are."

"This is an informal meeting, Fox," Peppy stated, "No need to remind me of my rank."

The vulpine crossed his arms and gave a small smile. He then turned to Jacques, annoyed.

"Next time, Jacques," Fox frowned, "Don't go ahead of us like that. You looked like you were marching off to kill someone."

Peppy was grim, 'It probably would have been me if he couldn't handle the truth.'

Jacques noticed Krystal looking at him thoughtfully. He then nodded and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. Peppy then suddenly remembered something…

"Hey Pep," Slippy said, "Where's dad?"

"Oh, he's in R&D right now," Peppy replied, "He and the staff from the Zoness Orbital Station are working more on the technology salvaged from there. I'll tell him you're back but…"

He then appeared serious.

"…only after I've finished with you."

Falco feigned nervousness, "Er…what are you getting at, old timer?"

"That finally the real reality have finally found their way here," Peppy replied as he rubbed his forehead between his eyes, "That the universe is a violent, horrific and hypocritical mess spurred on by the terror that lurks in the Immaterial realm. That terror…called Chaos. And the beings that are fighting against it are no different or worse off than daemons of dark Space Marines."

He then paused, then moved his hand up to his sleeve.

"I should know, I crossed their path many year ago…"

Everyone, except Jacques, felt themselves hold their breath to stop gasping in shock as he revealed the Inquisitorial 'I' insignia branded into his shoulder joint. Amanda covered her mouth, feeling herself shake in terror.

"They…they did that to you?" she asked, "When?"

"When Team Star Fox ventured into the human systems in their early years," Peppy solemnly replied, "Believe me, the worst aspects of humanity were introduced to me and my team-mates intimately."

Fox nodded sadly, 'Dad.'

"I thought I would go insane," Peppy recounted, "Especially when they threatened that one day when the God-Emperor's light would spread across the entire universe that they would finally come to 'reclaim' Lylat from the Beast-Xeno and destroy everything and everyone we held dear."

Krystal looked at him sadly, and fumbled with her words, "I think I know what…what…you are saying that we can all expect worse now that the worst parts of our existence in physical form have come here?"

"It's not comforting, I know," Peppy nodded, "Good and evil will no longer exist. Now that we know everyone is capable of inflicting such dark, disturbing atrocities upon themselves and others, and in time I believe we will not be able to tell one another apart when it comes to being the hero or the villain. But…"

He smiled straight at the people sitting away from him.

"…I know what you are all: Heroes."

Fox smiled softly as Peppy continued.

"I've known you all for a long time, and can see what you are capable of. And as far as I am concerned – it is only good. But I know for sure that you all try to act as nothing more or less than heroes. And to me, well…"

Peppy paused a bit, still smiling.

"I just wanted to say…that I'm proud of each and every one of you. The scars we each carry, physically and mentally, binds us together, allowing us all to stand against the darkest reaches of this universe."

"You flatter us _way_ too much," Katt giggled a bit, "We're not exactly saints, you know."

He then chuckled, having humoured himself with his words.

"Look at me…I'm acting sentimental, but I guess that's the point."

Jacques smiled softly, "Bold, philosophical words…whatever it takes to keep our souls from oblivion."

"Yes," Peppy nodded, "I guess we really do have to rely on faith in a higher power, as well as each other if we want to survive. But whatever happens, like I said, I'm proud of each of you. Especially you, Fox…"

He smiled warmly.

"Your father, the founder of Team Star Fox, would be so proud of you."

Fox leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms, smiling back, "Thanks, Pep."

He then looked at Jacques, still smiling, "And the people that gave _you_ life. They would no doubt be happy that their son, despite the tragedy that was your teenage and adult life, did not sit in a dark corner hoping to die as painless as possible…but survived and stood tall."

Jacques nodded, "Your words…are very profound, Peppy."

Peppy exhaled gently and turned his back to them, "That's all I have to say to each other. I'll let you know when you're able to redeploy. Until then, I suggest you spend whatever free time you have appreciating life and each other."

Slippy squeezed Amanda's hand and said, "We intend to, Pep. C'mon Amanda…I need to get these stitches looked at."

"And I need something to keep my head in the clouds," Falco whined, gritting his teeth as he felt the pain return, "Right behind me, Katt?"

"Meh, got nothing else to do, anyway?"

And so Team Star Fox left their seats and exited the conference hall, except for Fox, Krystal and Jacques. The Grey Knight found that both Fox and Krystal hadn't stood from their seats and opted to stay put, sensing friction between the vulpine and vixen.

"Oh, Jacques," Peppy said as he turned his back, "We can finish our discuss if…"

He cut himself off when he noticed Fox and Krystal still sitting there, the vixen looking at Fox hopefully while he trying his best to look away from her. Jacques noticed his actions towards her and frowned.

As he turned to leave he said, "No need at this time, Peppy. The Lylat System is a more interesting place with you in it."

And Jacques left as well. Fox stood up from his seat and slowly stepped to the door.

"You have more questions for me, Fox?" Peppy asked, "I know what you overheard over the com lines back on MacBeth and I feel I owe you an…"

"Save it, Peppy," Fox sighed, sounding hopeless, "Things are too messed up at the moment to know why dad nearly died years before he was suppose to. See you around."

And Fox left Krystal sitting there, and Peppy standing there dumbfounded. The old hare then turned to Krystal.

"Krystal?" Peppy said, concerned, "Is there everything wrong?"

She looked up at him with sorrow-filled eyes, eliciting pity from the General. She shook her head and stood up, slowly stepping out of the conference room. Now Peppy was all alone, and wondering about…well…everything.

"I hope whatever it is that between those two, they can work through it," Peppy said to himself, "A year ago they seemed perfect for each other, until we found David floating amongst Cerinia's remains."

He then frowned for the last time.

"David…I hope I can count on you to keep your brother and sister on the straight and narrow."

----------

After they both stepped out of the conference room, Krystal immediately found herself running towards Fox. The vulpine had his head hung low as he stepped down the dimly lit steel hallway, both their footsteps echoing around them. Fox looked over his shoulder, immediately rolling his eyes downward away from here, not wanting to look at her with feelings of sadness and shame.

"Fox wait, stop…"

She heard the vulpine sigh as he stopped, and slowly turned to face her. Krystal frowned, face to sad face.

"Why are you trying to avoid me, Fox?" Krystal demanded, "Why won't you talk to me?"

Fox raised his voice, "I shouldn't have to. You're off the team, remember?"

"FOX!" Krystal yelled angrily, "STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!"

Fox was taken back by her outburst…

----------

…as were the other members of Star Fox as they walked ahead of Fox and Krystal. Their heads jerked backwards and looked at the corner leading down the hallway to the conference hall. Falco furrowed his brow as he leaded against the wall, his crutches held securely to his sides.

"Looks like Krys' finally managed to get Fox's attention," Falco said.

"Yeah," Slippy nodded, "You'd think he was trying to avoid her."

"_You_ think, scarface?" Katt questioned, crossing her arms and huffing slightly.

"That hurts," Amanda pouted as he noticed Slippy's hurt expression regarding his face, "Slippy was just making an observation…"

"Quiet. All of you."

Jacques raised his voice slightly as he stood back against the wall near the corner leading to Fox and Krystal. Everyone kept silent as they noticed the Grey Knight as vehement, hands clenching tightly, especially his right gauntlet/hand.

"Uh-oh," Slippy whispered into Amanda's ear, "When he's got that look on his face, someone's gonna get hurt."

"Yeah," Falco overheard him as they begun to walk away, or in the avian's case 'limp away', "We should get out of here. Don't feel like hanging around when Jacques gets up at Fox. It'll be brutal."

"How do you know that?"

Falco scoffed, "Idiot, it's about Krystal…"

Jacques shut them off as he listened only to what was around the corner. Slippy cleared his throat…

"Er…maybe we should…go?"

"Good idea, frog boy," Katt murmured quietly, "Don't feel like hanging around when Jacques tears Fox a well-deserved new one."

At that they departed, leaving Jacques standing there near the corner.

----------

After recovering from the initial shock of Krystal actually being angry at him…

"I'm sorry, Krys," Fox said, "I am, really."

Krystal softened up a bit and nodded, "I believe you…"

She then looked stern.

"…but I can't believe you would want to push me away."

Fox coughed a bit into his hand before he replied, "It's just so you won't get hurt for no good reason."

"For no good reason?" Krystal was bewildered, "We're at war, Fox. The only real reason we'll ever be hurt is when we're fighting against Chaos, and it would not be for no good reason because we're trying to save everything and everyone."

"Yes, everyone," Fox agreed, moving forward to grasp her by her shoulders and look at her softly. He spoke sincerely at her, "Like _you_."

"Me?"

She backed away from Fox, staring wondrously at him. Fox looked back, equally wondrous and cringing slightly.

"I'm not delicate, Fox. I'm not going to shatter the next time a bolter shell nicks me behind the ear or a chainblade shears off some fur off my arm," Krystal said firmly, "I know how to protect myself, and you…."

She paused a bit to collect herself.

"…and Jacques."

"Jacques?" Fox inquired.

Krystal leaned against the opposite wall away from Fox, both of them unaware of the behemoth human listening in around the corner as the vixen continued to speak sense into the emotionally conflicted vulpine.

She ran a finger over her scar as she said, "I promised myself I would protect him just as he protects me, that someone like him needs to live in case there is no other human like him that exists. I know he would give his life for me, I would do the same for him."

She then narrowed her eyes.

"But I don't want him to."

----------

Jacques' eyes widened inexplicably by Krystal's bold statement. Confusion and anxiety found their way into his gut as he allowed his emotional safeguards to drop as he forced himself to comprehend what both vulpine and vixen were saying to one another.

He was about ready to act when he heard Fox growl and push Krystal up against the wall…

----------

Fox felt he couldn't control himself as he growled in anger and roughly pushed up Krystal against the wall, causing her cry of surprise to echo around the hallway.

"And I Don't want YOU to either!" Fox exclaimed in disbelif.

Out of sheer instinct Krystal cried out and pushed Fox away from her, sending him falling onto the ground with a loud thud. The door leading into the conference room opened…

"What's going on out here?" Peppy questioned. Surprised to see Fox lying on the ground and Krystal backed away as if afraid of him, "Fox? Krystal?"

Fox raised his hand toward Peppy and said, eyes closed tightly, "Keep outta this, Peppy."

Gathering herself, Krystal demanded angrily, "What is this really about, Fox? Tell me…"

Picking himself up, Fox shot back with a cracking voice, "I want you to be safe, Krystal! I don't want you hanging around me, Jacques, the guys or anyone else carrying a lasgun, or a bolter, or a blaster or…or…or anything else…."

He slapped his hand to his forehead as he looked away from Krystal, trying to think of words that would finally reach out to her and stop her from

"I don't want you fighting in this war," Fox responded, now rubbing his aching back, "Please, just trust me on this. I don't want to lose you…"

"Fox," Krystal interrupted, "I told you, you won't lose me. I can take care of myself. I know how to fight, I know how to turn back the corruption of Chaos, I know…"

She stopped being stern and opted to just embrace Fox, resting her head against his chest as she begun to sob quietly. Abruptly taken back and in full view of a silent Peppy, Fox hugged her back, wrapping her around her waist and holding her to him.

He heard her whimper…

"Why, Fox…?"

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. Fox felt his heart rendered in two as she spoke.

"Why won't you let me be with you?" she asked, "Why are you suddenly trying to push me away?"

Fox felt his own eyes water as he said, "Because if you die, I won't be able to go on. You mean _everything_ to me. Ever since Sauria. Ever since I found you on the roof of the Krazoa Temple…I…already lost my parents, my best friend and nearly lost the team just today."

She shook her head slowly, a tear streaking from her eye as she whispered sadly, "Fox, oh Fox."

She kissed his cheek softly. She then let go of him and stared into his eyes, and almost into his soul.

"I want to continue to fight against the Dark Gods who destroyed my world and killed my people. I'm not promising you won't lose me," Krystal continued, reaching out to caress the side of his muzzle, "But I am promising to stay by you as we continue to fight against Chaos and whatever else comes forth from the Void."

She then stopped smiling.

"But, gods willingly, only if you let me. We promised each other we wouldn't be without one another. I couldn't stand to be without you at my side."

Fox spent the better part of the next minute staring at Krystal, eyebrows crossed and in deep thought, with Peppy and Jacques looking at them quietly and hopefully, the latter bringing himself to risk peering around the corner to see them. The vulpine and the vixen never noticed the Grey Knight and completely ignored the rabbit as they continued to stare into one another's eyes. Krystal knew that Fox was looking for an answer and silently prayed that he would no longer attempt to push her away.

Sadly when it came to virtues relating to relationships, love and war, Fox thought differently. Different, yet at the same time strangely noble.

Fox shook his head sadly, tears welling up in his own eyes now, "I'm sorry, Krystal…"

Jacques by now was gritting his teeth and clenching his fists so hard his bionic right hand/gauntlet almost cracked from the pressure.

"…I can't let you. I'm not as brave as you and Jacques. It's too much for me to handle."

Krystal closed her eyes and sobbed quietly as she turned away from Fox's embrace, running her right hand up her left arm as if trying in vain to comfort herself of her apparent broken heart. Feeling the same way, Fox wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Please," Fox choked on his words now, "Don't hate me for this."

"I don't hate you, Fox," Krystal said quietly, "I'll never bring myself to hate you. But…"

Peppy removed his spectacles to wipe the moisture from his eyes, brought upon by this tender scene. Jacques looked away from the corner and begun banging the back of his head against the wall in frustration.

"…but," Krystal continued, before she erupted into tears, "But…I can't bring myself to be with you, if you won't let me protect you. I'm sorry, Fox."

Krystal then walked out of the hallway, not even noticing Jacques having stood there the whole time and listening in as she turned the corner, tears running down her cheeks. Jacques kept silent, not knowing how to comfort Krystal in a situation such as this, with such emotions completely alien to the partially indoctrinated human.

Well, emotions Jacques are familiar with but seldom felt. Which any case, Jacques still had no idea how to confront Krystal about it. He just let her walk by him, crying into her hands and watched by her guardian, who felt like he could nothing to elevate her grief.

'Damn you, Jacques,' he berated himself mentally, 'You are suppose to do something. So go and do something.'

"What can I do?" Jacques questioned himself, "It is not my place to be of intimate comfort to her. That is Fox's responsib…"

He paused when he realised what he was just saying, Jacques felt anger replace his feelings of awkwardness as he thought of the person who was supposed to comfort her, not cause her to feel grief. He stepped out of the corner to confront Fox. He found he was no longer standing in the hallway, and saw Peppy looking out at him from the doorway into the conference room.

"Jacques," Peppy called out.

Jacques exhaled out his knees in exasperation and nodded. He walked over towards him, suddenly reminding himself how small Peppy was compared to him and his armour as he looked down at the general.

"You heard all that, I assume?" Peppy asked.

"And watched briefly," Jacques said, then asked quietly, "How could he bring himself to do _that_ to Krystal?"

Peppy wiped his glasses clean with a handkerchief, and replied as he put them back on, "Only when he thinks he doing the right thing, and trying to protect Krystal _is_ the right thing to do. But…"

"He…he made her cry," Jacques stated with little emotion, "He is never suppose to do that."

"I thought that was the case as well," Peppy sighed, "I thought Fox would be able to compromise. It is her fight as well, but I suppose he did he was thought was right."

"_What he thought_?" Jacques reiterated venomously, then said, "That is exactly right. That is _his_ thought, only."

Peppy looked at him curiously, seeing the anger well up within him. To a Space Marine, such an emotion was dangerous, and the rabbit knew that.

"Please, Jacques," Peppy said, "Don't think bad of Fox because of Krystal. This may be the only mistake he will ever make."

Jacques turned away from him and begun walking, calling out over his shoulder, "You are right about that, Peppy Hare."

Peppy watched him leave quietly, then shook his head as he downcast his eyes, then stared at his feet.

"Tsk tsk tsk…" Peppy appeared solemn, "I guess for someone like you, emotions are fickle thing. Just don't let it affect your judgement, David."

He then sighed again.

"Sorry, James. The boys are going to be at each other's throats from here on end."

----------

Within the boundaries of the simulation of an abandoned Corneria City street the simulated Venomian shogun battle suits were the ones to receive the full brunt of Jacques' anger and frustration. That being he ruthlessly attacked them with Nemesis, stabbing and slicing through the bio-mechanical cretins, scattering pieces of metal, robotic limb and flesh all over the place. The simulants were firing wildly at him and he took their laser, plasma and missile blasts, not bothering to dodge them as he charged them.

Jacques had made sure that the difficulty was raised to EXTREME, the number of simulants to OVERWHELMING and graphic violence generator ACTIVATED, revealing the blood and gore for what they were in a _real_ battle.

He looked emotionless as he hacked the shogun suits apart, thrusting Nemesis through the chest plating of one suit, pulling it out and shoulder-charging another, before slicing upwards and tearing apart machine and flesh. The suit fell down and the helmet rolled off, revealing a grey vulpine.

He was not surprised that there were a fox amongst the simulated apes and proceeded to impale the fox pilot through the skull with Nemesis. He then sighed and got down on one knee, the point of Nemesis touching the steel floor, his head bowed as he begun to pray.

'I failed Krystal…when I did nothing to stop her tears on account of McCloud…' he thought pensively.

"I…should have known that McCloud would do such a thing to Krystal," he spoke to himself, "All for the sake of protecting her. I should have done something to stop him but it appeared none of my concern…"

He wiped the sweat of his brow as he continued to talk to himself, not realising that a certain orange vulpine had stepped into the simulator and was watching him quietly from the door, a wry look of interest towards the Marine in his state of prayer.

Jacques suddenly beat his chest with his left hand as he felt his inner conflict gradually fade, "I swore to protect the Princess of Cerinia, from any and all forms against her mind, body and soul. Her tears told me I failed her when her happiness was shattered…I will not fail again."

He paused to reflect, before finishing off.

"I vow to myself…in the name of the Primarch and his _Father_. Give me strength."

Fox decided to step in before he started to really hurt himself, "Hey Jacques."

Jacques tensed up and he didn't turned to face him. Him of all people, "Yes, Fox?"

Fox walked up to the Grey Knight as he unsheathed Eden, and holding it flat in the palms of his hand he presented it to Jacques. He smiled, as Jacques looked over his shoulder, tired like.

"Figured you'd want your sword back," the vulpine said, "It managed to keep me alive, so it's a real good one."

Jacques turned around and took Eden and examined it closely, observing the sword closely and seeing how it was now clean, free from the taint that shed Chaos blood would have stained upon it. He turned it sideway, seeing the thin blade and how it's sharpness rivalled that of any other sword forged within the Imperium. He smirked turned the blade around so that the hilt faced Fox.

"It will still keep you alive," Jacques said, "Keep it. I will do fine only with Nemesis."

Fox's eyes widened inexplicably at the offer of such a powerful blade. He shook his head as he smiled and took Eden back, carefully extricating it from Jacques' grasp and putting back in it's sheath. He then took the straps that were on the sheath and tied it around his torso so that it was fastened onto his back. His smile then faded and he sighed.

"While I'm accepting gifts from you, Jacques," Fox said, "There's something else I'm gonna be needing from you, and hopefully as soon as possible."

"What is that?"

"I'm a Psyker, aren't I?"

"Most definitely."

"I need you to…" Fox wheezed gently, "I need you to find a way to…er… 'disconnect' me from the Warp."

Jacques raised his eyebrows, "Pardon?"

"I don't want to be like you," Fox replied, "The thought of wielding such…freakish power scares me. I've seen what happens when you abuse it and…well…frankly…"

He looked down at his feet, sounding ashamed.

"I'm not as brave as you or Krystal when you draw your power from that place."

Jacques looked at him hard, "I understand your feelings on the matter, Fox. When you are born with the Psyker gene you cannot deny the fact that your mind is one with the Warp. But there are ways to not utilise your power."

Fox noticed his tone of voice didn't carry any sense of warmth or friendliness, "How?"

"Do not think about using it," Jacques said seriously, "Even in the most dire situation, do not think about attempting to lend a hand. If you saving me, Cassius and Krystal back on MacBeth is any indication…"

Suddenly Fox felt mad, "SCREW that! If I hadn't _thought_ of shredding that piece of building apart I'd be slitting my own wrists by now if I wasn't dead already."

Jacques was alarmed that he would say such a thing, "Why?"

"Krystal."

"If she died, you would follow her to the grave?"

Fox gritted his teeth and looked downward. He said softly, "I wouldn't be able to go on without her…"

Jacques watched quietly as the vulpine begun pacing before him as he explained:

"If she died, then I would lose my will to keep breathing. She means so much to me, I'd do anything to make sure she would not get hurt or worse."

Fox looked over at Jacques, tears in his eyes.

"I love her. I want us to have a future…"

"Then why did you reject her?" Jacques interrupted.

Fox almost gasped, "What?"

"I spoke clearly the first time, vulpine," Jacques crossed his arms, sounding louder to the point of basso, "I was just around the corner when she begged you to not take her off the team. And that she reminded you that you and she could not be without one another and that this was her fight. But…"

Fox mouth was agape with the knowledge that he overhead everything.

"…you _pushed_ her away, figuratively speaking. I felt her sadness and anguish when you told her to stay away from him and me, and anyone else that would demand that she stand and fight."

Jacques then raised his voice, anger in his tone of voice.

"To put it simply and loudly enough so that you may hear: You broke her heart!"

Fox was speechless. Coming from Krystal's oldest protector and friend it felt like a revelation of biblical proportions came down upon him, immediately making his reasons to break up with Krystal unjustified and cruel. But here was the Grey Knight making him feel like he was one of the villains they were fighting against, apparently not even going to point out that he was just as dangerous to hang around.

And with that Fox frowned and stated boldly, "What goes on between me and Krys isn't your business, Jacques. Besides…_you_ swore to protect her. If you care for her that much you'd do the same thing I did."

That was definitely the wrong thing to say. Fox's boldness disappeared entirely and was replaced by fear when he found himself suddenly hoisted into the air off his feet by two silvery gauntlets, which grabbed him by the collar of his undershirt. And brought him face to face and green eye to green eye with an incredibly angry Jacques.

He shoved him against the wall as he spat out; "_I_ would _never_ wash my hands of her completely!"

"Wha…WHAT?" Fox cried as he winced from Jacques' tight grip on himself, "You make it sound like I'm abandoning her!"

"To her, it _is_!" Jacques gnashed his teeth, hands gripping the fabric of Fox's vest, "You say you are in love with her, yet you turned her away, going as far as breaking the bond you shared…"

He paused as he looked away from Fox so that he can compose himself, feeling overwhelmed with rarely felt emotions. Fox felt his grip on him loosen, until he unceremoniously fell onto the floor. Feeling scared of the much larger human before him he backed up against the wall, tensing up when Jacques looked back at him.

Jacques' eyes outwardly showed his sadness and regret for hurting the closest person he has to a brother as he finished softly, "…Just so you could keep her out of the war. A war…that is just as much as hers as it is ours."

Fox growled, "It's the only way to keep her safe!"

Jacques raised his voice again, "You fool! There is nowhere safe for anyone now that Chaos now strikes the Imperium from Lylat. They would sweep through every planet in the system, and reduce all life to something beyond dust!"

"And what's that?" Fox sneered.

"Complete and total oblivion…including Krystal!"

Getting angry, Fox cried, "Bullshit!"

"What?"

"You just sounded convinced that they _are_ gonna destroy _everything_!"

"I do not intend to let them!" Jacques snarled, "Neither do you or anyone else who holds a weapon and swore to stand against the bane of life."

Calming down, Fox asked, "Do…do you honestly think she'll be any safer if she sticks with us and continue to fight?"

Relaxing himself, Jacques sighed and responded calmly, stepping back from cornering Fox and explaining, "Though I swore to protect her, we all each have the same chance of dying by tainted hands. It would be folly for her to just stay here on Venom and do noting when she could stand alongside us and make a difference."

He paused to reflect, before continuing.

"I believe…she may be our only hope to put Chaos in it's place for good."

Fox looked at him, intrigued, "How? How do you know that?"

Jacques shook his head, "I just do."

Things were silent between them for a few minutes as they each took the time to dwell on what each had said concerning Krystal, someone they both treasured deeply. Fox slunk to the ground, sitting on his behind while Jacques leaned on the wall next to him. He looked down at his counterpart, who ran his hand through his headfur.

Fox chuckled sadly, "I acted like a real asshole, didn't I?"

"Do you want me to be honest in answering you?" Jacques raised his eyebrows.

"Heh, why not."

Jacques frowned, "You did. You still do."

The vulpine chuckled louder at Jacques' dry sense of humour.

"Can I still make it right?"

"Does it involve asking her to stand beside you?"

Fox suddenly sounded serious, "No."

"Then that would be impossible."

"She really was in love with me, wasn't she?"

"Undoubtedly. She still is."

"You read her mind to find out?"

"No."

Fox exhaled out of his nose and just shook his head, then chuckled some more. He then stood back up and sighed, putting his hands on his back and cracking his back some. He looked at Jacques in the eye, and he looked back, still leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and appearing stoic once again.

"I think I made the right decision, Jacques," Fox stated with finality, "As long as I know Krystal is safe back here on Venom with Peppy and the rest of Cornerian military command, I can keep looking straight ahead in the cockpit."

Jacques shrugged, "If that is what you firmly believe. But let me ask you…"

He stood up straight and looked down at Fox, once again as if trying to impose on him with his height once again, but by now Fox could be hardly intimidated by anything.

"What if she was to lead herself onto a battlefield without your word?"

Fox frowned, "Then I'll make sure she gets off it, and do anything to make sure she doesn't set foot on it again. How's that?"

"Even if it is against her will?"

"If that's what it takes."

Jacques clenched his hands into fists by his sides, not liking where this conversation was heading once again. Still, he kept his composure.

"Alright," Fox nodded, rubbing his back in an uncomfortable manner, "I'll think about it. Just…just trust me on this, OK? As a member of Star Fox, just trust me."

The Grey Knight nodded, "I will trust you to make the right decision."

Fox begun to step away from the Grey Knight and out of the simulator, leaving Jacques to watch him quietly leave. He then turned his back on the retreating vulpine and ran his hand through his short hair, before tracing the scars on his face with his finger. He flinched a bit when he heard the simulator door close, dwelling on the fact that this was the first time he had ever acted hostile towards Fox, his brother-in-arms.

And it was for Her.

"Cancel program," Jacques announced out loud and the simulation mechanics shut themselves down. He then muttered to himself in vehemence, "Damn vulpine."

He then paused to reflect.

"I have to see Krystal."

He then looked at the doorway leading out of the simulation, where Fox had disappeared through seconds ago.

As he walked towards the exit, he growled as he remembered what had occurred on the Emperor Incarnatus that had burned a complete image in his brain.

"And damn you, Cassius."

----------

Krystal shuddered when she felt two separate negative waves of emotion pass by her, from the two men she ostensibly held close to her heart. She was already shivering from grief as she leaned forward against the railing on the observation deck overlooking the canyon, which the underground base was built into. She took some time to study the sight before her, seeing that parts of the underground base complex was sticking out of the canyon walls in the forms of hanger, gun platforms and other observation areas.

Though she had stopped crying, her eyes were still red and puffy, and had soon become itchy. She ran the back of her hand against her eyes as she thought about how it all came down to this.

'Fox breaks up with me just to keep me safe,' Krystal thought, 'Where exactly is 'safe', Fox? Did you even consider my feelings before saying those things? Did you think I'd understand and be alright with that?"

She gave a small hiccup as she glanced out into space and the fleets orbiting Venom.

"We said we loved each other," Krystal said to herself, still in grief, "We said we wouldn't be without each other? Yet, you…you broke my heart."

Resting her elbows on the railing she held her head in her hands as thought of someone else, which brought about a fresh wave of grief. She noticed her reflection in the window and traced finger across her scar. Then, fresh tears escaped her eyes, seeing how she now bared the scars of war upon her body and that drove the person she thought she loved to want to push her away, just for 'her safety.'

'Jacques?' she now thought about the Grey Knight, 'Are you going to leave me, too? Are you going to tell me to just stay here and do nothing?'

"Krystal."

She froze, eyes widened and feeling her fur stand on end. She turned around slowly to see Jacques standing in the doorway. She looked at him peculiarly, noticing that his hair was damp and he was breathing roughly. She reasoned he must have gone through a very rough tour through the simulator. An _incredibly_ rough tour, as Krystal could sense the bottled-up emotions and anxiety radiating from him, and that in turn made her feel bad for him.

Jacques felt confused when he saw her just standing there looking at him, noticing a sense of longing in her sapphire blue eyes. He stepped closer towards her away from the doorway, which shut behind him, and he saw that her attention was immediately drawn to his left arm. She stepped up to him as stretched her hands, immediately running them up and down his arm, stopping at his bionic hand and grasping it, seeing that it was just his gauntlet.

She looked up at him and he downcast his eyes at her and nodded. The vixen then sighed and turned her back to him, gazing back out over the canyon. Jacques rolled his eyes, wondering what he should say next, and whatever it would remedy the situation, or make it worse.

"I am sorry…" he said slowly and hesitantly, "…about Fox. I do not defend him, but I must say that he…thinks he is doing what is best…for your wellbeing."

Krystal's ears perked up and she looked over her shoulder. Jacques exhaled out his nose and clenched his hands.

"However, you may continue to fight alongside me if you wish. I have no intention of making you sit out…" the Grey Knight stated, then quietly admitted, "I apologise, I wish I knew how to…comfort you when it comes to breaking off with your mate."

She blinked away her tears and ran a hand underneath her nose as he continued, now feeling upset of her friend's inability to fully comprehend her feeling.

"Please," Jacques said, his voice starting to crack from the pressure he was unknowingly putting himself through, "Tell me…what should I do?"

The vixen turned around to face the superhuman, looking up into his eyes as he towered over all. Jacques felt himself frozen in place as she placed her hands on his chest-plate and leaned forward against him. Knowing full well what she wanted, he moved his right arm across her back and held her to him. Krystal then smiled as she rested her head against him.

"Jacques. Just…don't push me away…"

She felt his new bionic hand grasp her left arm gently as he embraced her hesitantly. He just stared out past the window and across the canyon as he felt Krystal embrace him tighter.

He then felt himself cringe when she stood on her toes and brushed her nose near his ear.

"Jacques, brother," Krystal whispered, "You're the strongest out of all of us."

A few moments of silence passed. Gradually Jacques felt calm enough to respond, eyes narrowing slightly as he felt a warm feeling pass over him as he felt all his troubles and the pains of his past fade with each second he spent with his just cause in life. His eyes downcast at her, his eyes half closed as he felt serene.

"No. _You_ are, sister," Jacques said softly, mirroring Krystal's whisper, which made her smile wider, "You always have been."

And so they held each other, comforting one another like siblings should…for once deciding to be unwary of what the future will bring…

And that future: The coming of the Realm of Chaos…

* * *

Special thanks to **SF Ghost** for use of her character _**Jaada Astrali**_, featured in his authorised prequel to **Star** **Fox 40,000** – _**Cerinia Daemonica**_.

It's not quite over yet. Stay tuned for the Epilogue and news regarding the inevitable sequel.


	24. Epilogue: After Action Report

**Disclaimer: See the Prologue**

* * *

**Epilogue – After Action Report**

* * *

++To: Lord Inquisitor Kryptmann, Ordo Xenos++  
++From: Lord Admiral Horatio Dylanis Nero++  
++Subject: Chaos Incursion of Segmentum Pacificus, The Beast-Xeno Situation++  
++Transmitted from: Expeditionary Force Flagship Sanguinus Pacifus++  
++Transmitted to: Inquisitorial Fortress, Kew++

Thought For The Day: _Compassion is reserved for servants of the Emperor: aliens deserve only our scorn_.

My Lord, with respect in His name!

By now you would have intercepted the request for reinforcements in regards to the Chaos attack on the Lylat System, this foul sector of xeno space outside Segmentum Pacificus. This same area of black space which the Ultramarines had risked heresy to dare cleanse it of Chaos years earlier whilst for reason and motivation unknown sparing the beast-xeno from the flame. Clearly the Chapter-Master of this supposed venerated Astartes Chapter has much to answer for, as well as the disgraced General Sturnn of the Cadian 412th for reasons that will be disclosed in this report.

It is true that the fell legions of Abaddon have besieged the Imperium from not one but two fronts – the Cadian Gate which they had established a foothold months earlier, and now from here in Lylat. They are gradually making their way throughout the system, consuming worlds, their natural resources and their pitiful alien populations – the far latter being systemically tainted and pressed into service for the Despoiler. He, the supposed successor to Horus, is here. Our worst fears have come true, for he is not leading the Chaos forces on Cadia, but now from here.

The xeno situation has far worsened. Out of desperation and sheer lack of judgement we have allied with the beast-xeno, with Imperial Guardsmen marching alongside foul Cornerian foot soldiers; handling their fragile weapons and piloting their unsanctified vehicle craft. We have surely damned ourselves to oblivion. It is fitting that the foul forces of Chaos taking our souls would be punishment for sinking down to the same level as the Children of Eden and the Kronus 1st for sucking the boots of both the Lylatian and the damned Tau.

Yes, the Tau are here in Lylat. How they arrived here and for what purpose remains a mystery, but rest assure they too will feel the Emperor's divine justice upon their heads when His grand war machine rolls into this pitiful little system of fifty odd worlds, cleansing it off both heretic and xeno. We loyal but damned servants of the God-Emperor must now hold the line until both the reinforcements arrive, and when you put your own plans into action.

By the time you arrive here to settle the business of McCloud's legacy and the origins of the Tyranid xeno I would have surely taken my own life in the hope that will redeem my family's name. For now I will continue to lead our holy fleet across the corrupted stars of Lylat until a true servant of Imperial Navy comes to take my place and demand for my life, which I will gladly and without hesitation give.

One more thing you may find interesting is that the last Cerinian herself still walks amongst us, and how the bastard half-xeno himself still continues to preserve her life. Unless you have plans for her concerning the continuing genetic experiments, you may want to make her suffer before Mortensen's eyes before you kill him. A fitting punishment if you ask me.

In the name of the Immortal God-Emperor of Mankind, long live His Imperium.

++END MESSAGE++

* * *

And that's a wrap.

I hate to say it but it's going to be very long time before I start work on the third part of the SF40K Trilogy. After a break I like to spend the time working on another couple of unlikely crossovers, maybe a supernatural horror, a technological thriller or a black comedy.

After all that I'm going to have to think hard on how to continue the story, with all the subplots and personal character histories I've introduced. But somehow I believe I'll be able to make it all fit and run smoothly.

Thanks very much for your support during these 3 years spent writing this epic. Thanks for your continuing reviews, comments and feedback. I know I've said this before, but those give me inspiration, encouragement and drive to keep working.

Never Stop Writing.

**- GamerJay**


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